Let Me Grow
by Jynxxi13
Summary: "Turtle's Vixen" Sequel! Growing up is hard enough, but when your parents are a mutant and a fox hybrid, it only adds to the strain. Aanika struggles with finding her identity and making herself known in her family. In the shadow of her "miracle" younger siblings and cousins, Aanika steps out to find out who she is. Can Leo handle his little girl growing up? Rated M for safety.
1. Prologue

**A/N: ALRIGHTY! You asked for it my duckies, here we go :) SEQUEL! Don't worry, it's a little dry, but I promise it gets more exciting. Come with me while we join our special family in their endurance with functioning as a family, being parents for some -hint hint-, and growing up in shadow. While I am going to include all of my original OC's, Aanika is going to be my focus for this tale since she's the oldest of the "children". If you're just joining us, ehhh you might want to read Turtle's Vixen first for this to make some sense. ;D anyway, read and review. ENJOY!**

**********NOTICE: THIS STORY HAS OC CHARACTERS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT ANY OF THEM LOOK LIKE, PLEASE CHECK THE LINKS ON MY PROFILE FOR YOUR VISUAL AID.**

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_Prologue_

Growing up in a typical home meant soccer practice, Christmas plays, and finger paintings with gold stars from the teacher. Children from all corners of the world experienced the typical routine of growing and learning. They went to school, they made friends, they learned how to drive. But for a few select children in the underbelly of New York City, growing up meant something else entirely. They had to be invisible like the wind and swift like shadows when they lurked about. The hustling and bustling inhabitants of Manhattan never looked up, they were too busy with cellphones glued to their ears and their eyes buried into the head of the person in front of them. Occupied with the madness of bumper to bumper traffic. Had the people ever taken the chance to look up, they'd see these mysterious shadows leaping from rooftops to telephone poles and keeping a watchful eye on their city.

These shadows belonged to the one family of mutant turtle brothers and hybrid sisters. They were ninjas, powerful and skilled in their art like the master who had taught them everything he knew. The leaders of the group were the center of the family; Leonardo and Shiho.

Mates and partners, they led their family on nightly patrols throughout the city when they weren't home in the lair being parents. With the assistance of their human comrades, April and Casey Jones, and their sensei Splinter, the pair managed to keep their family under control and still find time to raise their three children. Aanika, the one who'd come from the same biological experimentation laboratory that Shiho had and shared the same genetic mutation; fox genes. Both Leo and Shiho had taken on the responsibility of giving the young fox hybrid as much of a childhood as they possibly could. She was their only child until by the grace of luck Shiho gave birth to the first offspring of their kind. The twins Allegra and Erasmus. But more about them later, on to the rest of the members behind the leaders.

Always on their left was the second pair, the strangest pair of them all; Raphael and Saundra. The hotheaded turtle and the smart-mouthed gecko hybrid, the only one of her sisters with a different mutation, collided and crashed more than they meshed but they were meant for each other. They fought and they disagreed, constantly at each other's throats. But that's what made them so right together. Raphael was drawn to that gecko hybrid like a bee to the flower, he could never imagine spending his life with any other being. Saundra constantly told her sisters how irritating Raph was, but they all knew just how much she loved and needed him.

To the right, never far behind their leaders, Donatello and Fiona. The genius and fiery haired fox were the prime definition of perfect. Both were smart beyond comprehension and could create any piece of technology that came to their mind. Their love and bond rivaled their leaders, if Shiho and Leo didn't have parenthood on their shoulders, they'd be all over each other the way Donnie and Fiona always seemed to be. They finished each others sentences and were always in tune to each others needs and thoughts, a pair of absolute geniuses in the throes of love and passion.

And finally coming up the rear was the newest mated pair, Michelangelo and Magdalena. Their relationship wasn't easy for the oldest fox to swallow, Mikey was Shiho's baby brother in all aspects and having him together with her clone was always a tough pill to take. But even so, despite the strange energy, Mikey couldn't escape the raging attraction to the blonde cloned fox. She was funny and witty, never too far behind him in being the one to crack a joke. Despite all of the raging battles and spats she had with Shiho, Maggie took a step back from the hateful energy she once possessed. Harmony was difficult to maintain, but with the sweet and one-of-a-kind Michelangelo by her side, Maggie kept a lid on her grudges and existed peacefully with Shiho and her sisters.

But this story isn't just about the hybrids and mutants we've all come to know and love. No, this is a story about growing up in secrecy and battling with the struggles of discovering individuality. One member, Aanika, discovers how truly difficult life can be when the rest of the world doesn't…no…when the world _won't_ accept you. In the shadows of her miracle twin siblings and much more, Aanika will be our focus. The focus on blast, will anyone understand? Leo loves his daughter, he consoles her, he raises her…but would he ever really understand what she faces? Father and daughter, it's a special bond that only the two could ever share and understand. Aanika isn't Leo's biological daughter, nor his only child. But the difference meant nothing, she was his first baby girl and that's how it will stay. But even so, can Aanika really be Leo's little girl forever?

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**A/N: BOOM. Ehehe, now that I've got the ball rolling and your attention, note that I'm also going to be writing a 'Holes' fanfiction at the same time. So, keep an eye out for it. ANYWAY. Review please! Tell me if this sounds any good, if it's captivating enough for me to continue. You know me, duckies. You know I love your input and hearing how much you enjoy my writing. If you enjoy it, I mean. I'm ranting. REVIEW! Cowabunga, Duckies!**


	2. Ever Expanding Family

**A/N: AYEEE! SORRY! I got caught up in writing my Holes fanfiction, but not to worry! Ahhh here's technically Chapter one in this story. The first was just a prologue. What I plan on doing is bounce around through the years that Aanika is growing up, she's my focus. WHile it looks like the focus is on everyone else, she's the center of this tale. That's sort of the whole point of this particular story. About being the oldest and feeling left behind when your family keeps moving on blah blah blah. I'm kinda guessing how she might feel, I'm the youngest of 4 siblings, so I have no idea. hahah. Uhm, I don't have photoshop out her at my mom's so, I can't make any visual aids for the kids. Use your imagination! ANYWAY DUCKIES! Read and REVIEW! REVIEW!**

**************NOTICE: THIS STORY HAS OC CHARACTERS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT ANY OF THEM LOOK LIKE, PLEASE CHECK THE LINKS ON MY PROFILE FOR YOUR VISUAL AID.**

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_Back and forth….back and forth…._

Shiho swayed in her rocking chair with a curled up Aanika in her arms and her nose buried into one of her story books. The gentle voice of her mother spoke to her as she read the scriptures of one her favorite stories; Guess How Much I Love You. The sleepy child's eyes grew heavy and droopy in the motions of the chair and in the serenity of Shiho's voice. Aanika's favorite time of the day was either Storytime or her lullaby at bedtime. She was always tucked into bed afterwards and loved on by both the fox and Leonardo. Although lately, Leo had been tucking her younger twin siblings in at night instead of her. Even now, he sat on the floor cross legged as both Erasmus and Allegra hobbled towards him as they practiced walking.

"Come on, come to Daddy! You're almost there Raz," Leo encouraged his children to walk into his waiting arms. Allegra squealed with a wide smile as she picked up her pace and lost her balance, plopping backwards onto her diaper-padded backside. Shiho chuckled when Allegra gave up and used her heels and scooted into Leo's arms where he laughed and scooped her into his lap anyway. Her little tail wiggled and her small ears twitched excitedly.

"Ah you'll get it next time, Sweetie. Erasmus it's up to you, boy," The attention turned to the one twin who was the spitting image of Leonardo. Shiho still found it amazing the way their children had turned out; Allegra the fox hybrid like her mother and Erasmus a humanoid turtle like his father. The only difference was each child had a mix of both parents but those genes seemed recessive.

Erasmus' perseverance rivaled that of his mother, he was more like her than Allegra was it seemed. He contorted his small face into a scowl as he focused on Leonardo and struggled his way to his father. His twin sister already sat on their father's leg, clearly tuckered out from learning to walk. But he wasn't so easily swayed and placed one foot in front of the other as he stumbled around like any other baby with his arms flailing about.

_"Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into his bed of leaves. He leaned over and kissed him goodnight,"_ Shiho continued reading to Aanika who was just about asleep. Shiho nuzzled into the fur of Aanika's ever growing ears and finished the story. "_Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile, 'I love you right up to the moon—and back.'_ Buenas noches, Mijita. Te amo, mi Corazon."

Leo loved it when the Spanish roots inside Shiho made their appearance.

Erasmus had at last reached Leonardo and grabbed onto his large hand with an excited squeal. If Aanika wasn't such a heavy sleeper, Shiho would have groaned. But instead, the 6 year old was out like a light. Leo praised both of his twins and hugged them tight as they giggled and flailed in his grasp, not noticing as Shiho left to put Aanika into bed.

"Hey, Sis. Puttin' her down for the night?" Shiho caught up with Raphael as he was returning to his room with two waters in his hand. He and Saundra had just finished up training in the dojo and were kicking back in their room, or rather Saundra was until he returned. The fox leader giggled and nodded as she shifted Aanika in her arms so her cheek rested on her shoulder.

"Yep. She was gone before I had finished her story. Leo's still up with the twins," Raph nudged his sister with his elbow and gave her a wink as they had come to his room. He went inside without another word and left Shiho to go about her business.

"Alright, Aanika. I'll see you in the morning, Pumpkin." Shiho purred after tucking the youngster in bed. Aanika snuggled her stuffed rabbit against her chest and sank into her pillow.

"Ni-night, Mama…" Out with the lights and on with the small blue moon nightlight and Shiho returned to her mate who had both squirming twins in his arms. He looked tired but he'd never let on how truly exhausted he was. But Shiho knew, being the leader of the family _and_ a parent to a pair of twins and an already bustling 6 year old had its way of weighing him down.

"Can't believe these boogers are already a year old and walking. They're even starting to make attempts to talk," Leo said through his grunts to hold them still. Shiho made it easier by taking Erasmus into her arms and holding him on her hip. "It seems like just last week we found out you were pregnant."

"Hah, and what a fun way to find out that was huh? Oh Leo. I know it's exhausting, but you're doing great, Darling," Leo had to smile when she praised him. It lifted his tired spirit just that much more when she added that smile of hers that made his heart do back flips in his chest. Already, Allegra had given into Leo's hold and laid her head down on his shoulder as he held her. Erasmus on the other hand was having difficulty wrapping his fingers around the strands of his mother's hair that she had put up into a bun.

"You can say that again. But I love these monsters and Aanika more than anything. Hey…Shiho?" The fox looked up from her son after she let her hair down. He'd tangled his fingers into the silken strands and stuck his thumb of his other hand into his mouth as he settled against her chest to relax. Leo chewed his lip nervously while humming low in his chest for Allegra, the vibrations always eased her to sleep faster.

"What, Babe?" Those eyes, those beautiful doe eyes that glowed violet. Leo could never stop losing himself in them, he remembered the first time he looked into those chemical beauties the day he brought her home after she escaped from the lab. They hadn't changed one bit.

"Do you think that when these two get old enough you might want at least one more?" Shiho's tall ears flattened against her head and her cheeks became hot under the intense blush she suddenly wore. Nervously, her luscious tail flicked back and forth. With Aanika, they had three children already. Shiho had never imagined that Leo wanted any more than what they were blessed with. But then again, she could understand why he voiced his interest.

"Maybe. I really like this whole 'Mommy' thing. It's just a matter of getting lucky again, I suppose."

Leo hummed in response. In his head he recounted when Shiho was pregnant, how gorgeous she was when she had her bump. Despite her moodiness and consistent nausea, Leo loved seeing her pregnant. He loved even more the idea of there being more of his offspring in this world. But it was like Shiho said, they hadn't even planned the first pregnancy because they hadn't even known it was possible. They'd been mates for a year and had been doing that tango long before that, it was a hit and miss in trying to get her pregnant again. Leo wondered if he could handle that kind of suspension.

"Well, would you be open to more if I said I wanted to try again?" The ninja turned a shade of crimson in the face when the words left his mouth. Shiho's pretty lips curved into a delicate smile as she made a slow walk to the crib on the other side of their space. Erasmus was far gone when she laid him on his plastron. Allegra was next. Once the two were in their respective cribs and asleep the fox turned to her mate and coiled her slender arms around his neck. "Well?"

"If you think you'll be ready again, then yes I want to try," Shiho winked that bright eye and made him gulp. Nearly four years together and the woman still choked him up with her unintentional seduction. A soft gasp broke through her lips when those arms of his came around her waist and tugged her against his plastron. "I wanna do whatever makes you happy."

He leaned down to press his forehead against hers with a tender touch. Leo still struggled with pairing his emotions and his words to express how he felt, but Shiho was always in tune with what was going on inside his head. They'd been connected with each other since the first kiss on the rooftop all that time ago. Leo knew exactly what he wanted with his divine vixen and she was more than willing to do whatever she could to give it to him. He sensed it when those butterfly lashes of hers fluttered and her eyes came to a close. Family was all they wanted and all they needed to live.

"You know I love you, Fuzzball," Shiho grinned and nodded, nuzzling her nose against his beak affectionately as she did so.

"Yeah I know. And I love you, Domehead. Now kiss me before I slap the green off you," His shoulders shrugged with a little bit of laughter as he complied and bent his head down and captured those sweet lips in yet another kiss. He'd kissed her so many times before, but those kisses never lost their freshness and zing. When their lips met, there was always electricity in the air.

They were both exhausted from their day but the mates always found time to be lovers again. Leo showed her he still loved her the way he did before the kids and before the family by dragging her away from their bedroom and down into an empty room that no one had yet to use. Shiho laughed the entire way and squealed when he'd tickle her sides. Once the door was closed, the kids were the last thing on their minds. All that mattered was each other. Leo made sure to never lose the spark he'd felt when he first laid eyes on her, Shiho was always more than happy to receive his downpour of affection. They were never too old or too busy to have their way with each other.

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"Donnie, I still don't understand. We've been trying for the last six months and still nothing," Fiona pouted as she threw yet another negative pregnancy test into the trash bin. She slumped down onto the bed and covered her freckled face with her hands, she felt defeated. She just couldn't figure out what else to do anymore. Donatello twisted his mouth into a frown as he leaned his bo against the wall on his side of the bed. He felt helpless when he noticed his mate's small shoulders shake as she began to weep.

"Hey, come here," He soothed, sitting down beside her and bringing her sideways into his lap. Fiona was distraught and disappointed in herself. She wanted what Shiho had so badly that it hurt. She loved Allegra and Erasmus, they were the little lights of her day. But she just wanted a family of her own and was close to killing herself to have it. Donnie couldn't stand watching and listening to her cry the way she was. She wasn't a balling mess, but she was still a bit of a mess. "It'll happen, Honey. Maybe we're just trying too hard. I always read that if you try too much it won't happen. But if you stop trying there's a chance."

"Donnie please…I'm not in the mood for something you discovered…" Fiona spoke through her small sobs. Donnie sighed and ran his hand through the springy, red curls of her hair and kissed the top of her head. The dainty fox was tired of coming up negative in her tests. Why was Shiho able to get pregnant but not her? They were both the same mix and match of genes of foxes and humans, just different parents. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so rude…It's just I see Shiho with her babies every night and I want that. I want it!"

"Sshh…I know, Fi, I want it, too. Trust me, I do. We just need to be patient-"

"I'm fed up with being patient, Donatello. I want a baby, I want a family, I _want _to be a mom!" Fiona threw herself out of Donatello's lap and ran out of their room and down the hall. He winced when he heard the bathroom door slam and sighed, exasperated. He collapsed onto the bed and stared at the ceiling in disdain. One would guess that Fiona was already pregnant with just how moody she'd become. He thought it over in his head for the millionth time; What were they doing wrong? He had her menstrual cycle and ovulation pinpointed exactly to a T. He couldn't understand.

_Maybe it's me. We are two creatures of a different species and it's highly unlikely that my terrapin sperm could fertilize a mammal's egg. But…Leo and Shiho did it…there must be something we're doing wrong…_Donnie's thoughts churned in his head at a mile a minute. He felt somewhat bitter towards his brother for always being the first at everything. The first to have a girlfriend, lose his virginity, have a mate, have not just one child but a set of twins. No matter how logically Donatello looked at it he always concluded that it just wasn't fair.

Donnie's eyeridge furrowed when he picked up the sound of Fiona getting sick from down the hall. She'd left their door open and the noise was clear as day. It occurred to him that her behavior was odd, she wasn't herself. He couldn't come to a conclusion. Was she secretly pregnant the way Shiho had been? Or was she just so upset over not being able to conceive that she was making herself physically ill.

"Donnie? What's wrong with my sister?" His thoughts were suddenly interrupted and he sat up to see Shiho standing in the doorway. His previous bitter state of mind returned when he noticed an enormous bite on her shoulder and the darkest of hickies on her neck. Walking down the hall behind her was Leonardo, looking more than satisfied. Donnie rolled his honey-brown eyes and got up to his feet.

"Fiona's upset. She took another test today, she said she felt pregnant but it came out negative," Shiho suddenly ran her hands through her hair to tame the fly-aways Leo had created. Concern wrote itself across her face as she hugged Donnie with one arm.

"I'm sorry, bro."

"It's not your fault, Shiho. She just sees you and Leo with the twins everyday and it's killing her," The purple masked turtle leaned against the hallway wall and clenched his teeth when he heard Fiona wretch once again. Shiho folded her arms and chewed the corner of her lip the way she did when she was thinking. Donnie was quick to pick up on her energy. "What?"

"You know what, let me give Linda a call. I've been watching Fi the last few days in training and she's been off. It just makes me think of myself. I'm worried about her," She was about to walk away when Donnie grabbed her elbow. The fox stared at his hand and twitched her ears in confusion. "What, Donnie?"

"Maybe that isn't a good idea. If you call Linda, that might get her hopes up. I couldn't stand to watch her get hurt again."

"Donnie. Something is going on with Fiona. I know her like the back of my hand. Whether or not she's pregnant, that's another story. But I want Linda to at least talk to her. And that's final."

Donnie knew better than to question Shiho. Like Leo, she was just as much of a leader and knew it. The only one bold enough to argue with her was her clone, Maggie. And they all knew it would have an ugly ending whenever the blonde started something. So it was with that knowledge in mind that Donatello released his sister's arm and she disappeared somewhere downstairs to make the phone call to April's cousin and the one who delivered Shiho's twins, Linda O'Neil.

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"I'm heeeere!" Rang a sing-song voice. Both Leo and Shiho leaped from over the couch to silence the doctor in fear of their children waking up. The red headed O'Neil chuckled under the hand Shiho clasped over mouth and held her right hand up in a Scout's Honor to be quiet. The fox relaxed and Leo took her bag to put it in Donnie's lab.

"I'm so glad you're here, Lin." Shiho said, linking arms with her favorite (and only) doctor.

"So what's going on?" Both girls took the trip to Donnie's lab together, arm in arm.

"Well, Fiona has been desperately trying to get pregnant. According to Donnie they've been trying for months and nothing has happened. You and I both know it isn't a sure thing," Shiho took a breath and ran a hand through her violet bangs. "But, she's displaying the same behavior I was before I found out I was pregnant with the twins and it has me suspicious."

"Did she take a test?" Linda shrugged the shoulders of her coat off her arms and folded it over one of the chairs Donnie always had around.

"Yeah, and they came out negative. But so were mine." Linda nodded, understanding where she was coming from now.

"So you're saying that there's the possibility that traditional pregnancy tests might not work on you girls."

"Exactly. She's moody like you would NOT believe. She broke into hysterical tears while watching an episode of Friends. She's eating the strangest things and throwing up on a consistent basis," Shiho plopped down into Leo's lap after he'd sat down. His arms found their place around her waist and she leaned into his embrace.

"I have to make sure I write all of this down."

"But Linda, I don't want her to get her hopes up. I'm afraid of her falling even further down than where's she's at now," Leo kissed Shiho on the neck for reassurance. Shiho worried about her sisters as much as she did her kids. When something wasn't right with one of them, she was torn to pieces on the inside.

"Alright, where is she?"

"Me?" All three heads turned to the doorway. Fiona stood with Donnie holding her hand, she looked terrible. Her normally bright grey eyes were a dull shade, they looked like they hadn't glistened in weeks. It broke Shiho's heart to see her sister so depressed. "What are you doing here, Linda?"

"Your sister called me with some concerns about you, Sweetie. She's worried you might have caught a virus and wanted me to check you out. So…up on the table, Missy!" Shiho released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding when Linda covered for her. They didn't want Fiona getting too excited if for nothing. The red headed fox shrugged and complied, climbing onto the exam table that Donnie had built for the girls.

Linda ran through a basic checklist with Fiona. Her temperature and weight gain, her diet and exercise, and her sexual activity. So far, Fiona didn't suspect a thing until Linda wheeled out the ultra-sound machine she'd stowed away in the lair months before. Her tall ears flattened out from her head as she eyed the machine suspiciously. Shiho knew then that her sister was somewhat onto her.

"What's this for? I'm not pregnant."

"Oh I know!" Linda flipped on a few switches as Fiona hesitantly pulled up her shirt for the cool gel to be applied. Linda winked behind her glasses and put Fi somewhat at ease as she pressed the wand against her abdomen. "Just checking for any ulcers that might be upsetting your stomach and making you this sick."

_Damn, she's a good liar…_Shiho thought to herself. Leo had lifted his mate from his lap and set her back down onto the seat so he could stand beside Donnie who was fidgeting nonstop. Firmly, Leo planted his hand onto his brother's shoulder and gave it a squeeze as Linda talked to Fiona and moved the wand ever closer to the bottom of her belly. Donnie felt his heart in his throat.

"Oh that's why you're getting sick, Sweetie. Look, right here," Linda turned the screen as Fiona lifted her head and opened her ears in curiosity. Her eyes narrowed at the strangest little flickering on the screen. "See that? That's a heartbeat. You're not sick, you're baking a bun."

"Woah! Donnie!" Shiho launched herself out of her seat as both she and Leo managed to catch Donatello before he hit the floor. His knees suddenly decided to give out and his legs were taking a break. Shiho was too focused on keeping the genius on his feet to notice the stunned expression on her sister's face. When the two had him on a rolling stool they pushed him over to Fiona who hadn't taken her eyes off the screen. Linda kept the wand still so she could look, her baby looked like a little black jelly bean with a small flutter in the middle.

"Don't play games with me, Linda…Am I really-"

"Pregnant? Yep. About as pregnant as you can get. I can only see one fetus at this time but I might be wrong. We'll check again next week since you girls seem to progress so quickly."

Shiho was taken into Leo's arms as they stood back to give the other mates some space. Linda mopped up the sticky good from Fiona's pelvis and packed up her bag. With a kiss on Shiho and Leo's cheek, the doctor was quick to vanish because she had received a page from one of her human patients. Shiho could hardly stand still in Leo's embrace, she was practically vibrating. With a large hand at the back of her head, he kissed her nose and gestured for them to leave the lab and leave Donnie and Fiona alone to absorb.

"Donnie, I'm…I'm…" Suddenly that glisten had returned to Fiona's ocean grey hues and she broke into an enormous grin. The ninja felt the strength return to his legs as he stood up and brought his mate off the table, to her feet, and against his plastron in a tight embrace. Much like Leonardo, he seemed at a loss for words in his overwhelming happiness. "Oh Donnie you were right! Oh, Sweetheart we're gonna have a baby."

"I told you!" Donnie managed to at least speak a little before kneeling down and lifting the shirt from Fiona's slim belly. She wasn't nearly as far along as her sister was when she found out but now that he knew it was there, he could feel it. His beak nuzzled into the pale skin of her abdomen and planted a kiss to her belly button. Fiona couldn't stop the wild blush and the wide smile that glued itself to her face. She laughed when Donnie littered her skin with dozens of kisses, all over her tummy.

"Donnie that tickles!"

"I am going to take care of you, Fi. I promise," Donnie stood back upright and touched foreheads. It felt like a long time coming, this news. He wanted so badly to give Fiona everything she ever desired. When he felt like he wasn't doing everything possible, he felt defeated and ashamed. But now, he felt like he was on top of the world with his girl.

"I know. I love you, Donnie. I do, I love you. I'm sorry I've been such a nutcase, I just-" Donnie silenced her babbling with a well placed kiss. Fiona simply melted in his arms and kissed him right back.

"I love you, too."

Now it seemed that the strange, little family was expanding once again. Leo and Shiho had their plates full as leaders. To keep their family safe was the priority at all times, but being sneaky to make a few members happy never hurt either. Fiona found out that Linda had come because of Shiho's suspicion and stepped on her tail in retaliation. But it was playful banter. Once Aanika was told that her Uncle Donnie was going to be a daddy like Leo, she didn't show as much excitement as her parents expected her to. Maybe she was too young to understand.

In her family's growing size and happiness, Aanika felt herself shrinking away into the corner. Especially from Leonardo. He was her daddy first…

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**A/N: Was that too lame? I dunno. Tell me my darlings and I'll fork out another chapter soon. You know I love those wonderful reviews of yours! Hahaha, alright. What do you think about the angst stirring around Aanika now? Ohh I'm excited**


	3. It's Not Fair

**A/N: Sorry Duckies if I'm being a little slow with updating this story. It's surprisingly difficult to do. But anyway! Aanika is a-growing up! I remember being a teenager and trying to make a name for myself. Hopefully I captured the same angst and agitation with Aanika. Read and Review!**

**NOTICE: I don't have photoshop so, I can't make any visual aids for the kids. Use your imagination! THIS STORY HAS OC CHARACTERS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT ANY OF THEM LOOK LIKE, PLEASE CHECK THE LINKS ON MY PROFILE FOR YOUR VISUAL AID.**

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_Now it seemed that the strange, little family was expanding once again. Leo and Shiho had their plates full as leaders. To keep their family safe was the priority at all times, but being sneaky to make a few members happy never hurt either. Fiona found out that Linda had come because of Shiho's suspicion and stepped on her tail in retaliation. But it was playful banter. Once Aanika was told that her Uncle Donnie was going to be a daddy like Leo, she didn't show as much excitement as her parents expected her to. Maybe she was too young to understand. _

_In her family's growing size and happiness, Aanika felt herself shrinking away into the corner. Especially from Leonardo. He was her daddy first_

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_10 years later…_

"Alright everyone, press in closer, there's so many of you. Okay maybe I need to back up," Casey Jones muttered as he picked up his camera that he had sitting on a tripod and moved backwards a few steps. What was he taking a picture of? Why his favorite family of mutants and hybrids of course. The last decade had given the family the time they needed to grow in their numbers and become their own small army.

Shiho and Leonardo had gone on and had one more child, another son, two years after their twins. This son had been named Artemis and he stood out from his older twin siblings just slightly as he hadn't inherited his mother's bright violet eyes that Erasmus and Allegra had, but instead they mirrored the fiery amber of Leonardo. The leaders stood in the center of the shot with all four of their children around them; Aanika at sixteen stood between her parents, Erasmus and Allegra at eleven each on either side of Leo and Shiho, and in the middle was Artemis at eight. Shiho reprimanded her youngest three to keep them still as they picked on each other.

"All of you, knock it off. Or so help me, you'll be doing flips for a week," Hissed Mother Fox. Collectively, all three groaned.

To the left was Donatello with his arm firmly around his Irish cream fox, Fiona. They had been the second pair of mates to have enough luck to reproduce. First was their oldest, Ginny who was ten. She looked everything like her mother with fiery red hair and a face full of freckles, her ears and tail in their respective place. And then their youngest, Freddrick, who was six. Donnie had concluded after his son was born how the genetics worked now, the boys came out looking like their fathers and the girls came out the spitting image of their mothers. It was a discovery that he went on about for a solid year in his excitement.

"Casey, you're far enough man! Just take the damn picture!" Raphael grunted. He and Saundra stood to the right of their leaders. The turtle and gecko mates hadn't really tried for any children, it just wasn't their preference. They were perfectly content with having each other and their nieces and nephews. Shiho often pestered Saundra to have at least one child to carry on her legacy but it always ended in a fight. After three years of arguing, Shiho had decided it was a losing battle with her sister and dropped the subject altogether.

And on the end was the youngest mates of all, Michelangelo and Magdalena. They'd only been blessed with one son but that was enough for them. Zachary had come just after his cousin Freddrick by a few weeks, so he was also a six year old. He was, without a shadow of a doubt, Michelangelo's son; a joker, a troublemaker, and an avid skateboarder. Or at least, he was learning. Like his mother and father, Zachary had a pair of piercing blue eyes and a dazzling smile. Even at the age of six, he was quite the little charmer and had his mother wrapped around his finger.

In the center of the entire family was the patriarch, Splinter. The years had started taking their toll on the old rat and he became fragile, even ill at times. His muzzle was streaked with white fur amongst the grey and his paws often shook. It was really only a matter of time before the original leader was taken from the world and Leo was left as the head of the family. He tried his best to not think about Splinter not being around anymore, but the ever lingering fact faintly haunted him. But for now, Splinter was in relatively good health and had the energy necessary for the annual family photo.

"Okay! Ready…1…2…3!" Casey counted down and pressed the timer for him and April to join with their own kids sitting on the floor. Emery was ten and Jacob was nine. Both kids had a messy mop of black hair but the signature O'Neil green eyes.

The blinking red light sped up and stopped altogether before a bright flash went off and the picture was taken.

"Awesome, dudes! And that's a wrap on another Hamato family portrait," Mikey mused in his usual tone. The family simultaneously laughed before they dispersed.

Aanika looked around at her siblings and cousins and sighed heavily, her bangs fluttering in her breath as she scratched the back of her head. She was so much older than all of the kids in her family and she wasn't related to a single one of them. If anything, the young fox was feeling somewhat left out as she watched her parents corral her brothers and sisters and cousins into the dojo for their training. They were all behind her by a good decade and she decided to skip lessons tonight for the sake of not having to relearn the same old junk.

"Aanika, where do you think you're going?" Shiho never missed a beat when it came to her oldest. Tall ears opened wide on her mother's head as she shooed her youngest kids away with a swat of her tail. Aanika groaned as she stopped the process of pulling her beanie over her ears and head to turn towards her mother, a fake smile plastered on her lips. Shiho's arms folded and her foot tapped. "Well?"

"I was just gonna go on patrol, Mom."

"I don't think so. You're training with everyone else. And then- don't roll your eyes at me, Aanika," Leonardo heard the already hot tiff between his mate and daughter and closed the dojo doors once he'd given the reigns to Donatello and all the younglings were inside. Even he had reservations about letting Aanika out at night with them when they'd do patrol runs, but letting her out by herself was out of the question. The Purple Dragons were still a fully operational gang and they'd gotten bigger since the demise of the Foot and their leader, Karai.

"Aw come on, Daddy used to go out when he was fifteen!" Aanika whined as she smoothly strapped the double katanas to her back, thinking maybe they'd change their minds if they noticed she was taking her weapons. She was more like Leonardo than the other three and it almost scared Shiho.

"Stop complaining. Things were a lot different back then, Aanika. And I never went out on my own," He said, placing his large hands on his hot mate's shoulders. She wasn't moving from her standing and crossed her arms even tighter. "It's dangerous out there. We don't want you to get into trouble and hurt yourself."

"Please, Daddy? Just for an hour?"

"The answer is no. And I'm not changing my mind. You're not ready to go out by yourself. Aanika don't you dare walk away from me and your mother-"

"I'm going to my room! Jeez!" Aanika tossed her katanas on the floor and stormed away from the leaders in a heated, obnoxious fit and disappeared upstairs. Both parents flinched when she slammed her bedroom door shut. Shiho crossed her bright eyes and clenched her teeth, her hands digging into the roots of her dark hair as she barely contained her scream.

"Teenagers! Leonardo if we don't do something about this she's going to sneak out again," Shiho grumbled. Her ear opened in the direction of the dojo as she heard the beginning of training start, her children making a loud 'AI-YAH!'. Leo rubbed Shiho's tense shoulders and kissed the top of her head between her ears.

"I know. I'll go talk to her, you go cool off before you kill someone. Ow! I was kidding!" Shiho smacked her mate on the bicep. Her slapping abilities hadn't weakened at all over the years.

"Idiot…now go talk to your daughter before I serve her up for dinner."

"I'm going, I'm going. If you kiss me first," Leo waggled his eyeridge as he came around to Shiho's from. She was so irritated that the fur on her ears was sticking straight out, he just had to make her feel better.

"Leo-"

"Just one, and I'll go deal with the teenager," Shiho couldn't fight the stupid smile that her goofy mate brought to her face and lazily wrapped her arms around his neck. Leo didn't waste a moment and leaned down and kissed her hard on the mouth. He kissed her with so much force, in fact, that her tail wriggled wildly in appreciation. "Mmm…much better."

"Now get movin'."

* * *

_Knock, knock, knock_

"Go away!" Barked the voice of Aanika from inside her room. Leo took a deep breath and opened the door. Sometimes dealing with Aanika when she was moody was almost worse than the rare occasions when Shredder would make a surprise appearance. Only now he couldn't escape these outbursts. He exhaled and opened the door to the disaster of a room. She had the cleaning habits of Mikey.

"I said go away, Daddy."

"Aanika, what's gotten into you? Jesus it looks like a bomb hit this place…I thought Mom told you to clean it up yesterday," Leo tip-toed through discarded articles of clothing, magazines, DVD cases, and candy wrappers. Eventually, with much effort, he made it to her bed where she was curled up with her favorite stuffed rabbit that had seen better days, Mr. Beeskers.

"Yeah Mom orders a lot of things doesn't she?" She pouted and glared up at Leo over her knees that were tucked against her chest, her arms wrapped firmly around her legs. She was an angry little teenaged ball with her tail coming around her. If Leo wasn't so concerned, he'd laugh.

"Aanika be fair, your mother has a _lot_ on her plate and so do I. We can't properly prepare your siblings and cousins with the skills they need and keep a constant eye on you when you want to go out. We're the leaders of this family and we need to keep everyone safe, including you. You know you can only go on patrols with me and your uncles."

"But Daddy I just wanted to scale a couple rooftops and then come home. Mom just wants to keep me cooped up inside while the rest of you obsess over the younger kids…" Leo twisted his mouth into a bit of a frown when she trailed off and leaned her cheek against her knees. They'd grown red in her little fit and her eyes were rimmed with tears.

"You're forgetting what's out there, Annie. The Purple Dragons are just as strong as ever and always out to hurt us. If anything happened to you because you got caught by yourself it would destroy Mom and me," Leo laid his hands on her feet and tried to get her to look at him. He wondered if Splinter had this much of a problem with him and his brothers at this age. Raphael most likely.

"It's not my fault you guys have this bad energy with the Dragons. It's not fair," Leo rolled his eyes.

"What's not fair?" Suddenly, Aanika decided to be quiet. He felt his eye twitch in his agitation and swallowed thickly to keep himself from shaking the answer out of his child. She frustrated him so much sometimes that he just wanted to break something. So he waited.

And waited. Five minutes had passed in her stubborn silence and Leo was losing his nerve. Maybe Shiho should have done this. But Aanika was a hard clam to open and it had to be done diligently. Shiho was known for forcing things out of Aanika and it always came back with a fury later.

"Aanika. I asked you a question."

"I know. It's just…Daddy when was the last time you and I sat on the rooftop and counted cars?" Aanika released her legs and Indian crossed them, Mr. Beeskers tucked between her thighs. She'd thrown a curveball at him and he hesitated.

"What?"

"You remember when I was little you used to take me topside to the roof you and Mom always go to and we'd sit on the edge and count the cars we thought were going to break down soon?"

Leo gulped. He hadn't thought about those days in a long time.

"I guess it's been a few years but, Annie, you gotta understand. I have your sister and brothers to take care of, too. _And _your cousins."

"That's just it, Daddy! Once they were born and all my cousins you forgot about me! And whenever we _do_ spend time together you're always too tired for me…So I thought if I could just get out for a bit, maybe I wouldn't feel so bad." Aanika sniffled her nose and diverted her blue eyes away from Leo and down to her stuffed rabbit. She plucked at his matted fuzz as her ears drooped to the sides of her hair.

"That's what this is about? Aanika, you'll always be my baby but you're not the only one I have. Nor are you my only responsibility, the same goes for your mother. We're the _leaders,_ Annie. I thought you, of all people, would understand. You are the oldest of all the kids and a leader yourself."

So that's what it was. The typical behavior of a teenager, Aanika's humanity was really breaking through in her angst. She wanted Leonardo and Shiho again, like when she was younger before she grew up.

"Yeah well maybe I don't understand…no one has time for me anymore…" She muttered and kept her eyes down. She didn't even look up when Leo sighed and stood up to his feet.

"Well, then I'm disappointed in you, Aanika. Your mother and I love you, very much. But if you're going to be this selfish, you can stay up here in your room until you realize that everything we do is to protect you. Don't bother coming down into the dojo, I don't want your negative energy affecting everyone else."

Aanika clenched her stuffed rabbit in her hands as Leo left and quietly shut the door. She grunted and tossed the toy against the wall opposite her bed and screamed into her pillow. The young fox kept shoving her foot into her mouth and she didn't know how to get it out. Now, her father was disappointed. The one she bonded the most with was disappointed in her. She could handle him being angry or annoyed, but not disappointed. That always seemed to be the worst of the worse.

The teenager grunted and withdrew her laptop from under her bed and opened it on her lap. She clicked the mousepad a few times and logged into her instant messenger. If she couldn't go out, she'd at least find a way to communicate with the outside world even if her parents tried to keep her out of it.

* * *

In a bedroom, in the dark, he waited and kept his eyes trained on the rooftops across the street from his window. They came every night and disappeared without a trace. His curiosity about the shadows had existed ever since he was a boy and had evolved into a near obsession. Every night he waited at his window to catch a glance of the swift shadows moving in the night so he could sneak out and follow them. He always lost them after a few blocks of course when they would dive between buildings and disappear like phantoms.

Shadow phantoms.

Jeremy was your average seventeen year old high school kid. Kind of tall and lean with shaggy, and often messy, dirty blonde hair. A lot of people told him he looked like a blonde Diego Bonetta with essentially the same face only with a pair of hazel blue eyes. He wasn't on his school's football team or even on the basketball team nor was he very popular with the ladies despite his good looks. Or people at all for that matter. He had a few friends, but they only bothered to see him at school, so he couldn't really call them his friends.

"Damn, where are they? It's way past ten and they haven't shown up…maybe they took a different route…" He muttered to himself. Let down, Jeremy rolled away from his window in his computer chair and slouched in front of the glowing screen of his desktop. He absentmindedly read through a few mildly funny stories from and got a few chuckles to pass the time. But he sat up straight in his chair when he heard the chime of someone logging in to their instant messenger.

"Oh, you," He said with some excitement. He hadn't seen that screenname in about a week and felt his disappointment fade away when a window popped up with an IM.

_Ninjaxfox13: Heyy youuu_

Jeremy smiled. He'd met this girl, or at least he assumed she was a girl, on a comic book forum online and hit it off instantly. They exchanged screennames for their instant messengers and have been talking ever since. That was a good six months ago. They'd never met face to face or even exchanged any pictures, but he had such a crush on the girl behind the screen.

_Luckyderp: Haha, hey. What's up? _

_Ninjaxfox13: Ugh…my parents. They won't let me out tonight and I'm going nuts. You?_

He paused and thought about how to respond. He couldn't very well tell her that he was sitting up like a stalker and waiting for shadows.

_Luckyderp: Not a whole lot. That sux tho, about your parents, I mean. Why are they keeping you inside?_

_Ninjaxfox13: ohhh something about it not being safe and gangsters blah blah blah. The same thing they say every time. My dad called me selfish._

_Luckyderp: Aww..why?_

Aanika wiggled her thin fingers over the keys as she chewed her lip in thought. She could hear her family training downstairs and it only sparked her annoyance. Her perfect little siblings and cousins training to be ninjas and kissing up to her parents like they always did, it never failed to put a chip on her shoulder. She growled at her closed door and glared through it, hoping Leo could feel her anger.

_Luckyderp: Foxy?_

The IM chime reminded her of her conversation and pulled her out of her thoughts.

_Ninjaxfox13: My bad. I dunno, he spends soo much time with my younger siblings and cousins. I told you I'm adopted right?_

_Luckyderp: Yeah. So like…he doesn't love you enough or something?_

Aanika groaned and palmed her face. She knew that Leo loved her like his own, she was his first after all. Look up Daddy's Girl in the dictionary and her picture will be right next to the definition. She just couldn't figure out why she was so jealous of the younger kids and hated herself for it.

_Ninjaxfox13: No it's not that. Maybe I am being selfish I dunno. I only had my dad to myself for a year before the twins were born. And after that, he just hardly had time for me anymore._

_Luckyderp: I see. So you're jealous. Haha I never took you to be the jealous type!_

A knock at her door startled the young fox so much that she fell out of bed and thumped onto the floor.

"Oww…what?! I'm busy!" She barked. When she didn't get a response, she crawled to her feet with the assistance of her bed. Erasmus had come into her room and stood in the middle of the mess with a bit of a fearful look on his face. He never came into his sister's room because she always threw a fit and tossed him out. Literally. She'd pick him up by the carapace and throw him over the threshold. So he had his reasons for being afraid. "What do you want, Runt?"

"Heyyy I'm telling!"

"What do you want?!" She yelled. The young little turtle flinched at his sister's shrill voice and nervously played with his fingers.

"U-uhm…Mommy told me to tell you to come down because she wants to talk to you. And...and Mommy told me to not take no for an answer." Aanika smirked and knelt in front of her brother. He leaned back a little away from his much taller sister.

"Do you always do what Mommy says?" She didn't know why she was being so mean but couldn't stop herself. She didn't even feel bad when his lower lip began to quiver like he was going to cry. He was such an easy target. "Aww…you gonna cry now? Like the wittle baby you are? D'aww did Big Sister hurt your wittle baby feelings? Does Mommy know her big boy is such a wittle baby?"

"I'm telling Mommy!" He shrieked and ran out of her room before Aanika could catch him. Now she was really in trouble because he was wailing for Shiho as he ran. "Mommy!"

"Yeah you better run, you little runt! Go tell Mommy, see if I care..." Aanika shrugged it off and turned her attention back to her laptop. She had a bunch of nudges in her IM box. Whoops, she'd forgotten all about her conversation.

_Luckyderp: Hey, Foxy, you there?_

_Luckyderp: Helloooo_

_Luckyderp: FOXY!_

The fox fumbled over the keys and held back her laughter.

_Ninjaxfox13: SORRY! Sorryyy. My littler brother came running in here. Now he's crying and whining to my mom I gotta go. I can already tell I'm gonna get yelled at._

_Luckyderp: Lame! But okayy if you have to. I'll ttyl?_

_Ninjaxfox13: Yeah. Cya._

With a gentle click, Aanika closed her laptop and dragged herself out of her room. She felt her feet move even slower when she heard Shiho yelling her name. That little brat tattled on her. He said he would, she just thought he wouldn't do it at the risk of getting his ass kicked later. Aanika made it a mental note to give his beak a good rub in the dirt later for ratting her out.

"Aanika! Get down here now!"

"I'm COMING!" The young fox trudged down the steps where at the bottom her mother was waiting with her hands on her hips, Erasmus hiding behind her leg and peeking out at his sister. He ducked behind his mother when Aanika sent a scowl in his direction. When she reached the landing, she sat on her butt on the steps and stared at Shiho. "What?"

"Did you call your brother a baby again?"

"Yeah, so? He is one! Always crying and clinging to you." Aanika snorted when he stuck his tongue out at her. Of course Shiho didn't notice. Erasmus was her little golden child even though she said she loved all of her children equally. Aanika didn't buy it.

"I hate to point it out Aanika, but there was a time when you clung to me too. Now apologize." Shiho ordered. Her tail was stiff and her ears were sternly erect as she nudged her son in front of her. Aanika's blue hues rolled in her skull as he gave her the kicked puppy look. "And stop rolling your eyes, it's not going to kill you."

"I'm sorry you're such a baby, Erasmus."

"Aanika!" Shiho snapped.

"Ugh! Fine! I'm sorry I called you a baby, Erasmus. Happy now, Mom?" Shiho's jaw tightened but she realized that was the best she was going to get. Aanika's defiance was beginning to get out of hand.

"It'll do, now go on back to Uncle Donnie and finish training, Raz," The little turtle did as he was told and took off running towards the dojo, closing the door behind him. Now it was just Shiho and Aanika. Mother fox sighed heavily and ran her hand through her hair and sat down beside Aanika after lifting her tail around her. "I talked to your father. I gotta say, Annie, I'm really-"

"Don't even say it, Mom. You're disappointed in me, yeah. I know," The teenaged fox huffed and fiddled with the end of her own tail. Shiho chewed her lip and thought of what to say.

"Aanika, listen to me. Your father and I have the rules we do for a reason. If you only knew how bad it was out there you'd stay down here forever. You don't remember what we went through to keep you safe because you were too young, but don't hold it against us for looking out for you."

"But, Mom, I'm sixteen, you can't keep me down here forever. Sooner or later, you're gonna have to let me do patrols and grow up. Besides, you have the other kids to look out for, you don't need to worry about me," Shiho softened when Aanika's ears dropped and flattened in defeat. She remembered feeling the same way.

"I felt the way you do when I was your age. Granted, I was in the lab but still…" Shiho trailed off when she watched her daughter's shoulders rise and fall with a heavy exhale. She wished teenagers came with a manual. Aanika jumped a little when her mother's arm came around her shoulders and pulled her close against her side. "Honey we love you, and just want you safe. Give yourself some time and we'll let you run patrols with your dad and uncles. Stop trying to grow up so fast when we worked so hard to give you a childhood."

Aanika froze. Shiho moved away from the steps towards the dojo and disappeared behind the doors. She felt a little guilty for giving her parents so much grief, but not too much. They worked hard to give her a childhood but hardly participated in it and it made her bitter. She sat by and watched her parents give her siblings all of the attention they needed while she grew up on the sidelines waiting for someone to notice her. Or at least, that's the way she felt.

The teen fox looked over to the katanas she'd thrown on the ground and back at the dojo to where her mother had gone into. Everyone was in there, even her JiiJii Splinter. No one would notice if she slipped out for a little bit. But then again…Shiho was so in tune with Aanika that she might pick up on her leaving now.

_To leave or not to leave…_

She chewed her lip, a habit she picked up from her mother years ago. Her piercing blue gaze darted back and forth between the katanas and the dojo as she went over the decision in her mind. If her parents found out she was gone, she would be neck deep in trouble and grounded for Lord knows how long. She'd snuck out before and it landed her in the ring of fire with her parents. But…if she went out…she'd be able to run. Aanika loved to run.

"Fuck it…" She muttered and snatched her weapons, strapping them on her back the way Leo had taught her. She took one last look at the closed dojo after tucking her beanie back onto her head and ran out of the lair in a silent blur. The fox just needed a moment by herself in the fresh air…well…as fresh as New York air could be. She just needed the brisk, night air to hit her skin and the breeze to flow through the fur on her ears and through her hair. Aanika needed to be outside. She'd be careful.

Aanika was born careful…

* * *

**A/N: So, I'm still in California and I'm staying with my mom. And let me tell you, I still feel like a teenager sometimes with the way she talks to me. It's like...Mom...I moved out 3 years ago and I'm 22. LEMME ALOOONE! Hahaha...anyway, Aanika is being baaad. BAAAAD. She gonna get it if Shiho and Leo find out. Read and Review duckies, I'll try to update soon. I promise. I know the parental spat was a little short, buuut I ran out of steam. ENJOY**


	4. Clumsy Strangers

**A/N: We got ourselves a little bit of teen rebellion on our hands. Oh damn. Who was rebellious towards their parents as a teenager? Anyone? Did you ever do the opposite of what they told you to do just to feel like you were experiencing freedom? When in reality you were being a hard little shit for your parents to deal with? Bahahah, I was. Oh my god I was horrible to my mother and I feel so bad for it. I'm making up for it though :) Anyway! Read and Review duckies!**

* * *

_To leave or not to leave…_

_She chewed her lip, a habit she picked up from her mother years ago. Her piercing blue gaze darted back and forth between the katanas and the dojo as she went over the decision in her mind. If her parents found out she was gone, she would be neck deep in trouble and grounded for Lord knows how long. She'd snuck out before and it landed her in the ring of fire with her parents. But…if she went out…she'd be able to run. Aanika loved to run._

_"Fuck it…" She muttered and snatched her weapons, strapping them on her back the way Leo had taught her. She took one last look at the closed dojo after tucking her beanie back onto her head and ran out of the lair in a silent blur. The fox just needed a moment by herself in the fresh air…well…as fresh as New York air could be. She just needed the brisk, night air to hit her skin and the breeze to flow through the fur on her ears and through her hair. Aanika needed to be outside. She'd be careful._

_Aanika was born careful…_

* * *

The teen fox found her beat up skateboard by the entrance of the lair and slipped outside, quiet and sly as well…a fox. She set the wheels onto the ground and gave herself a kick push and sped down the tunnel. Her mother would have a fit if she witnessed her speed and recklessness on guard rails and water lines, grinding and flipping her board over with the knowledge that she was never going to fall. Aanika never fell off her board unless someone tackled or tripped her. When she was no more than six years old, Michelangelo had started to teach her how to ride and shred because in his words "You're never too young to tear up a sewer pipe, dudes."

A true vixen's smile crept across Aanika's pretty lips and she ripped up the sewer tunnels, only wishing her uncle were there with her. But he hadn't touched his board in a good two years and she skated alone. He was too busy with his own son to even play games with her on their half-pipe in the lair. Her sharp teeth clenched together as she pushed the thought out of her mind. Everyone was always too busy for her now; they must have thought she was all grown up now. Well if that was the case, why wouldn't they let her out already?! Aanika almost resented the birth of her twin siblings, almost. Everything changed once they came along.

Before the little "blessed children" were born, it was nothing but Aanika. Especially to Leo. She missed the days when he carried her around on his shoulders just because he could, the afternoons at home with JiiJii watching his stories when the others were training, the mornings with Shiho and Leo before everyone else woke up; Aanika missed it so much that it hurt. No one told her that growing up sucked this much. Growing up as a genetically mutated fox hybrid made it that much harder. She asked Shiho once about her biological mother and wished she hadn't, the truth had knocked her in the teeth.

A heroin addict. Aanika's real mother was a heroin addict and sold her to Marcus Silver, the sadistic prick that created Aanika and the other hybrids. Once her nameless mother discovered she was pregnant, she found the ad for Silver Inc. offering $5,000 for a single fetus. With no money and no means of getting junk for her nest fix, Aanika's mother jumped at the opportunity and gave her up without a second thought. When she compared the two, Shiho was always really her mother. For as long as she could remember, the few years she spent in the lab she stuck to Shiho's side. She didn't talk, Aanika remembered that much, she didn't talk until Shiho and Leo took her in as their own.

Flipping the edge of her board up into her hand, Aanika laid it on the wall of the tunnel before climbing up the iron wrung ladder to the surface. The thoughts that were running through her head were starting to make her angry again and she needed to get out of the sewer already. Slowly, she lifted the lid the way Leo had taught her and took a look around, she was in an alley between two buildings. Once the coast was clear, she climbed out and shut the lid. Tugging her beanie further onto her head and tucking her long knit sweater that went to her knees closed, Aanika smirked and started making leaps to get up onto the rooftops and run. Now that felt good, running.

Sprinting over flat rooftops, climbing and jumping over water towers and free falling until the next rooftop, swinging around wires and rolling to a landing; that's what it was all about. Her sneakers didn't make a sound as she darted from surface to surface. Her parents wanted to keep this freedom away from her, but Aanika was hell bent on having it.

One way or the other.

"Excellent work everyone

* * *

. That wraps up the hour, now, I want you all to do your cool down exercises and then shower," Leo announced to his family. Collectively, they all bowed at once in respect and dispersed to wind down their muscles from the rigorous work out that he'd put them through. Shiho dabbed at her face with a towel and kissed her handsome mate on the cheek, getting a goofy grin out of him.

"Not bad, though I think Ginny and Freddy need some one on one focus with their jump kicks. Everyone is coming along nicely," She spoke into her towel as she wiped away the sweat she worked up. Leo wrapped his hand and arm around her waist and tugged her close to nuzzle his beak into the side of her hair. "Leo, quit it!"

"You smell good, c'mere…" Shiho gasped and giggled when he swept her into his arms and took her away outside of the dojo. Still a Casanova after twelve years. He was about to take a chomp at her hot neck but the twitching of her ears caused him to put her down. She stood before him with her hands on his biceps as her hears tweaked back and forth and she listened and focused. On what? He couldn't be sure, but her hands on his muscles always meant she was nervous.

"What is it?" He muttered, but she held her finger up to silence him as she focused intensely on some invisible force. Bright violet eyes narrowed and glossy lips bent and twisted into a frowning scowl.

"Leo, where's Aanika?" The mates looked at each other in a long silence before Leo rolled his eyes with a growl and ran upstairs with Shiho right behind him. They sprinted towards Aanika's room and threw open the door. Empty. "She's gone! Leo!"

"Alright…alright…Call April, and tell her to keep an eye out. Aanika isn't familiar with the city and might just have gone there. Shiho? Shiho!" The fox had already started to panic; he could see it in her wide eyes as she backed out of Aanika's room and pressed her back against the wall. Her tail was rigid and her skin was cold when he grasped her by the wrists and kissed her fingers. "Baby, listen to me, we'll find her."

"Where'd she go, Leo? Where's my baby?" She'd begun ranting and Leo silenced her with a finger against her lips. Shiho's kids were everything to her, not knowing where one of them had run off to was enough to send her mentally over the edge. Aanika left her cell phone at home on her night stand, even better.

"Go call April. Now." The steadiness in her mate's voice brought Shiho down from her heightened paranoia just enough to follow his orders. Leo watched her stumble down the hall to their bedroom to do as she was told before he went to collect his brothers with a holler. The turtles gathered around the staircase where Leo had come to stand, all clearly confused. They'd been looking forward to spending time in the sauna room after working out, instead here they were.

"Leo this better be good." Raph snorted.

"Aanika's gone missing and we don't know where she's run off to. Shiho is calling April now but we need to go find her," His brothers held in their groans and complaints for the sake of not making him worry more than he already was. Leo looked like he had it all together, but inside he was losing his mind. The first time Aanika took off, she'd nearly been hit by a truck. If he hadn't gotten to her in time she'd have been flattened.

Donnie sighed. "Alright, what's the plan?"

"No time for a plan. We need to get topside and spread out, keep your Shell Cells on you and stay in contact. Shiho, let's go!"

* * *

Aanika sat curled up on the top of a water tower, her knees tucked to her chest and her tail close around her feet. She looked like a small, defenseless child with her posture but she had the biggest smile on her face. It had been a good four years since she last snuck out of the lair. Her parents and caught her less than twenty minutes later, not enough time to really enjoy being outside. Outside. What a world it was out here. She'd never heard so many voices and sounds before and she wanted to hear and see as much of it as she could. In the back of her mind, the teen fox wondered what could be so bad about the outside world that had her parents so uptight.

It wasn't Aanika's fault that she couldn't remember the evils and darkness that surrounded her in the days of being in the laboratory. Shiho made it a point to not remind her of the awful things their creator put her through. But not _everyone_ was that evil, right? Sure there was the Purple Dragons and your every day street thugs, but New York City wasn't filled to the brim with criminals. There had to be someone…somewhere that would accept her for who she was without wanting to hit her over the head with a frying pan in fear. Aanika giggled at the thought of a terrified little human wielding a frying pan in defense.

Even so…she wanted to be like her uncles. Busting up crime syndicates and dealing the hand of justice to brainless thugs. She heard Raphael boasting about all the heads he bashed when he was younger, when the Foot was still fully operational, and she often dreamed of showing her parents what she was made of. It must have been odd to the people of the normal world to imagine a girl's aspiration to be a vigilante. Like Casey. Or her uncles and father. Why was Shiho so afraid? She taught Aanika everything, Leo did too. It wasn't exactly like she couldn't take care of herself.

Aanika sighed. "Damn…I wonder if they even notice that I'm gone."

Tall fox ears opened when she spied a fire escape across the street. She'd never jumped a distance that far before and she was a couple stories higher than the landing, maybe she could pull it off and brag to Mikey and Raph. With a snort, she stood and dusted off her backside. "I'm gonna jump that distance and nail that landing."

With a soft thump, her sneakers hit the rooftop and she went as far back as she possibly could for a running start. Aanika pulled her ears back against her head with a grin as she got down in her knees and exhaled slowly. And…Go! The teen fox sprinted and pounded her feet into the rooftop until she reached the ledge. With all of the power in her legs, she launched herself across the street and reached out for the railing of the iron fire escape. And missed.

"Uh-oh…AHH!" Aanika's fingers just slipped from the railing and she fell onto the landing and rolled through the hole and down the ladder for at least two stories. She bounced, she thunked, and at last she slammed to a halt on her back on what looked to be the third story landing. "Ohh man…wipeout."

"WOAH! Are you okay?!" Aanika would have been startled by the sudden voice screeching at her through the open window beside her if the ringing in her head wasn't so loud. She shook the blurry vision out of her eyes and sat back against the grated railing of the fire escape with her hand rubbing the back of her head. "That was one heck of a spill, are you alright?"

"Woah, dude…yeah I-I'm okay," Moaned the fox as her eyes steadily opened and landed on a boy staring directly at her with a face full of concern. Suddenly she felt exposed. Not naked, but felt like her ears and tail were on display. "I'm sorry I crash landed on your window here."

"No, it's alright, do you want some ice? You hit your head pretty hard? Woah…your eyes…they're like…glowing?" Aanika gasped.

"What?! Uh…uh! No they're not! It's just the light…Ice please…yes I want some ice…" The boy tapped his fingers suspiciously on the window sill and ducked his head back inside his bedroom. Now that he was gone, Aanika took the chance to wince and growl at her stupid stunt. Better to not tell Mikey that she missed. She _missed._

"Here you go. I'm Jeremy, by the way. Welcome to my eh…fire escape," He said after he'd come back with a bag of ice. Aanika graciously took the bag and sloshed it onto what was going to be a goose egg in the morning. Her mother would kill her for talking to a stranger. Hell, she was dead when she got home anyway, what's another log in the fire?

"I'm Aanika. Thanks for the ice. Jeremy…that's a nice name," It took all of her effort to not take off the beanie and apply the ice directly to her head but that would just scare him. So she grimaced as the bag made the fabric wet, but the chill felt nice on the lump. Jeremy smiled something sweet and leaned his arms on the open window and just sat there on what she assumed was a chair.

"I guess so. Aanika, that's a unique name. I like it. So what are you doing out this late? And alone?" The fox blushed and chuckled. She sat up straight and Indian crossed her legs, scooting closer.

"I'm not supposed to be out. So, keep it on the down low, kay?" She winked a bright eye that caused him to gulp and tug at his shirt collar. Aanika had never seen a boy look so nervous before. Did her breath smell? Was there something in her teeth?

"Secret is safe with me. So where you from?"

Aanika shrugged. "I dunno, I was adopted. Not really sure where I'm from."

Jeremy paused. Adopted? This conversation sounded familiar, like he'd had it before already. He narrowed his eyes on the strange girl and tried to figure her out. Aanika must have caught on to his stare because she shifted uncomfortably and shifted those seemingly luminescent blue eyes everywhere but to him. She was nervous, and he was making her even more nervous by blatantly gawking at her the way he was.

"Sorry, I zone out sometimes."

"S'okay. So…Je-re-my," Aanika annunciated his name with every syllable, a silly roll in her pretty eyes. "How old are you?"

"Just turned seventeen. Do you go to school around here? I've never seen you before," Under her beanie, Aanika felt her ears twitch and fold against her head as she tried to think of an excuse. Of course she didn't go to school; she'd get thrown out before even walking through the doors. Jeremy rested his chin into the palm of his hand as he waited.

"U-uh no. I'm home schooled, yeah. I'm home schooled. My mom and dad are my teachers. I just turned sixteen, too. Maybe my Uncle Donnie will teach me how to drive soon," Aanika took the bag off her head and rubbed the sore spot, resting it on the floor of the fire escape. She chuckled half-heartedly before playing with her pinky finger.

"I like your shirt, don't find many girls these days that wear Pearl Jam shirts."

Aanika was thankful that it was after dark, she didn't want him to see her blush. She couldn't understand why she suddenly flushed in the cheeks, but the charming smile he had on choked her up a little. The sensitivity of her nose picked up his scent and tickled her nose with how nice it was.

"Thanks. My dad got it for me a few years ago for calling me the wrong name," Aanika was suddenly talking about personal things and couldn't stop herself. She remembered how utterly crushed she was when Leo looked her in the eye and called her Allegra. He felt so bad that he managed to get his hands on the shirt as an apology gift.

"Woah he did? That sucks! You must have a big family then for him to forget your name."

"You have _no_ idea, kid. My family is enormous and we all live under the same roof. It's madness. Hey, did anyone ever tell you that you look like a blonde Diego Bonetta?" Jeremy tossed his head back and laughed out loud. Aanika found herself eyeing his neck, the smoothness of his skin. She wondered what it felt like or smelled like up close. She snapped out of it when he looked back at her.

"Wow, yeah. All the time, girl. I get it at school."

"Man, your girlfriend must get so mad with all of the stares your probably get," Jeremy chuckled and rubbed his chin and glanced upwards at the pretty thing on his balcony.

"Hah, I don't have one of those. Nor do I get stares. But, I get a lot of people asking if we're related."

"I'm gonna call you Jeremy Bonetta from now on," Her eyes flashed to the illuminated time on his alarm clock across the room. It was after midnight. "Oh shit. My mother is so going to kill me. I gotta go. Thanks for the ice."

Aanika stood up and started to reach for the landing above her when Jeremy reached out and grabbed her by the wrist. She froze. She'd never been touched by anyone other than her family before and the sensation was strange but oddly comfortable. Kneeling back down, the fox tilted her head to the side and waited for him to say something.

"Hey, can I see you again?" Inside, Aanika was bouncing and leaping and doing summersaults. But on the outside, she remained composed and curled a cool smile on her pink lips with a wink of her eye. Someone actually wanted to see _her._ The idea alone was enough to make her happy for the rest of her life.

"Sure thing Mr. Bonetta. Keep an eye out for falling girls on your fire escape."

And with that, she jumped out of sight and onto the fire escape above and scampered away. Jeremy leaned back in his chair with a strange smile and look in his eyes. He felt funny, but not in a bad way. He'd just met the clumsy girl and he already wanted to see her again. He didn't know much about her but there was an indefinite…something there. But what that something was he couldn't be sure yet. Maybe once he saw her again, he'd know.

* * *

This time, when Aanika landed on the fire escape, she did so quietly. She landed on April and Casey's landing and knocked on the window for her to be let in. When the curtains pulled back, she was greeted with a set of worry-filled green eyes. The window opened in a rush and she was yanked inside and pulled against April's chest in the most suffocating of hugs. Great. Shiho called April. Now she knew she was _really _in trouble when Casey came out from the kitchen with two mugs of hot cider. When he saw Aanika he almost dropped the hot drinks in his haste to put them down and throw his arms around the fox.

"Oh my God Aanika! You're alright! Where have you been?!" April screeched. She held the teen at arms length and grimaced. "Oh jeez you're mother is going to lose her marbles. What happened to your lip?!"

"I just fell down a fire escape, I'm fine—AH! April stop it!" The O'Neil had her hands on Aanika's face trying to examine her busted lip she'd acquired on her trip down the flights of iron steps. Suddenly, April's and Casey's expressions shifted.

"Do you have any idea how worried we've all been about you? You're mother is an absolute mess. Sit." April ordered and pointed to the sofa. Aanika removed her beanie and katanas and plopped onto the cushions. Her ears were flat and her tail was placid and tucked between her legs. She knew April was forcing herself to keep her voice down because her kids were already in bed. Which meant Shiho was going to yell at home.

"Aanika…what were ya thinkin' goin' out there all by yaself? You coulda really been hurt," Casey said, trying to be the good guy. April stood in front of the teen with her hands on her hips and pursed lips, he took the hint. "I'll go call the guys."

"Guys? All of them are out? Aw man…I just wanted to go for a run-"

"Yeah well instead you've got your uncles, your mother, and father worried sick. They've been calling me every fifteen minutes to see if you showed up. I'm just…I'm so disappointed in you, Aanika. I thought you knew better," April sat beside the cowering fox with her face in her hands and a groan. In the other room, they could both hear Casey on the phone with Leonardo and telling him that she was safe. Aanika could already sense her father's anger and disappointment.

"What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?"

"I dunno, April…" Aanika mumbled. Her blue eyes focused on the stack of magazines and homework on the coffee table. She couldn't look at April, it'd only make her feel worse. Her ear opened at the sound of Casey returning and collapsing into his recliner with a drawn out sigh. He looked tired and Aanika felt heavy guilt that they were being kept awake because of her.

"Well…your parents are really upset, Short Stack. They'll be here in a few, they were a few blocks out. Sounds like you even gave Splinter a scare."

Aanika grabbed a pillow from the side of the couch and covered her face to hide her shame as she fell against the back of the couch. She had JiiJii worried? Now she'd really never hear the end of it, worrying the old sensei was enough to put him into a heart attack these days. The last thing she wanted was to be the one who cause him to suddenly go south. Her parents would never forgive her…

It didn't take long for the sound of the ninja's landing on the balcony outside. Aanika knew when Shiho hit the landing, she made a sound unique to herself. Once they had all stepped inside, she tried to curl up into the cushions of the couch to disappear from her mother's line of sight. The teen broke into a nervous sweat and swallowed thickly.

"Aanika…" Leo's voice.

_I'm dead…I'm dead…I'm sooo dead…_Hesitantly, Aanika stood up from the couch and faced her parents, her uncles behind them with unreadable expressions. She couldn't tell what any of them might have been thinking about her. The look on Shiho's face twisted something in her heart, she looked genuinely relieved to see Aanika in one piece. Leo on the other hand never looked more hurt.

"H-hi Daddy…" Katanas clacked against his carapace as Leo rushed the teen and crushed her in his arms against his plastron and buried his beak in her long, wavy hair. They'd been looking for her for nearly five hours and he was exhausted. But more relieved that she wasn't hurt. Not too badly anyway, he'd get to the bottom of her busted lip eventually, but now was not the time. Tears of shame pricked at Aanika's cool blue eyes as she slowly brought her arms around her father's neck to return his embrace.

"I've been looking all over the city for you…" Suddenly, she whimpered when he pulled away and looked at her dead on. Shiho was taking slow, calculated breaths to not lose her temper. She didn't want to wake up April's children, that wasn't fair.

"Just _what_ were you thinking, Aanika? You gave us all a heart attack," Shiho hissed in a whisper. Aanika noticed her mother's fists clenching at her sides to keep her composure and began to tremble. Shiho was battling with her Madness which meant she was truly distraught over her daughter's disappearance. The Madness was a serious issue in their home and keeping it under control hadn't been hard, but not aggravating it was the challenge. Something that deadly was not to be toyed with, and Aanika had done a pretty good job in dancing with the Devil.

"Mom I'm sorry I just-"

"None of your excuses. We are going home. Now. Apologize to your Aunt April and Uncle Casey for keeping them awake this late," Donnie exchanged glances with Raph and Mikey, nervously. They wondered if they were going to have to break out the sedatives when they made it home.

Slowly, Aanika turned to April and Casey and bowed her head respectfully. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make your worry. AYEE!"

Shiho yanked her daughter by the tail until they were outside and her uncles right behind them. Leo stayed behind a moment to hug the Jones' couple graciously for keeping an eye out for Aanika. They understand what the teen meant to him and were glad that she was safe. He bid them goodnight and left to catch up with his brothers and mate.

Aanika was running particularly fast to keep ahead of Shiho. Probably a good idea at this point. Leo knew Shiho was boiling over in her anger and frustration and was struggling to keep a lid on it. The trip home was silent and swift, no one said a word for fear of setting their fox leader off. Doing so only resulted in a fist in the mouth or a twisted arm. But once they were in the tunnels and his brothers had disappeared into the lair is when all the cards were on the table. Shiho was fuming, she'd never been this furious with Aanika in the past and was absolutely trembling. The glow in her eyes scared Aanika beyond comprehension, she'd never seen them glow so bright before. Not even in the dark.

"Of all of the selfish, stupid, bone-headed things to do…you sneak out of the lair _at night_. Aanika…I can't even look at you. So you know what? I'm not going to deal with you," Shiho spoke through tightly clenched teeth. She cornered Aanika against the tunnel wall and stared her down. Leo said nothing, this was the fox nature breaking through. Shiho was Aanika's mother even if she didn't carry and give birth to her. She was focused on making the teenager learn her place and was doing so with that intense glow.

"The only thing that I will say is you're grounded for the next month. You lose your weapons and you will be doing nothing but meditation exercises for the duration of your punishment. Is that understood?"

"Y-yes, Mother."

"Shiho, I don't think-" Leo snapped his jaw shut when his mate glared holes into his head. The heated fox took one last look at her disobedient child and stormed away into the lair where she would most likely destroy one of the practice dummies. He exhaled slowly and looked back to his daughter who was pressed against the wall with her tail tucked so far between her legs, he imagined it would be stuck there for a week.

"Aanika…go to your room. I'll be there shortly. Leave your katanas with Master Splinter on your way up and apologize to him."

"Yes, Daddy…" Aanika shrank away from the wall and slipped by Leonardo who looked after her and sighed with a shake of his head.

Leonardo thought back to the night when she'd first said his name. She was four years old and his name was the first time she'd ever spoken. She called him, or rather, recognized him as her father then. Shiho then asked him if he was ready for the plunge into parenthood and he jokingly replied "No."

He didn't realize how right he'd been.

* * *

**A/N: Teenagers, they make you crazy don't they? Make you wanna just rip your hair out from the roots. I was dealing with this smart-mouthed sixteen year old who was part of the steer project for 4H. She made me want to throw her off a roof sometimes. Hahah, but they do weird things at that age don't they? How will Leo handle his rebellious little Aanika? Is Shiho ripped a practice dummy to pieces?! Find out next time **


	5. Sacrifice For Love

**A/N: PLATEU CHAPTER! Definitely not as exciting as before but definitely necessary. Father/daughter moment in the making muahaha. What do you guys think of Leo as a dad? Think he'd make a good one? I do, it might come naturally to a leader like him :) But anyway I'm stalling. Enjoy Duckies, I hope you aren't disappointed with this chapter.**

"_Aanika…go to your room. I'll be there shortly. Leave your katanas with Master Splinter on your way up and apologize to him."_

"_Yes, Daddy…" Aanika shrank away from the wall and slipped by Leonardo who looked after her and sighed with a shake of his head. _

_Leonardo thought back to the night when she'd first said his name. She was four years old and his name was the first time she'd ever spoken. She called him, or rather, recognized him as her father then. Shiho then asked him if he was ready for the plunge into parenthood and he jokingly replied "No." _

_He didn't realize how right he'd been._

* * *

The trip to Splinter's quarters filled Aanika's gut with dread, not that he would yell or reprimand her, but that he was taking her weapons and that he was possibly the most disappointed out of her whole family. Her behavior had, without a doubt, become a hindrance on his meditations and rest. He was deeply concerned with the way she was acting out and disobeying her parents and his rules that he set in stone years ago. Aanika hated that in her own sense of rebellion, she'd hurt the only grandfather she'd ever had. So it was with feet that felt as heavy as lead that she made her way to the sliding double doors that lead to his sanctuary.

Sheepishly, Aanika peeked through the double doors as quietly as she could.

"Enter, my young one," Husked that old familiar voice from inside. Damn. He always knew when someone approached. The tall ears pressed tightly against her head and her tail tucked further between her legs as she grasped her weapons against her chest. Pushing the door open, stepping inside, and slowly closing it behind her, Aanika faced Splinter by herself. She recalled all of the harsh scoldings that Raphael had told her he received when he was her age and she only hoped he had mercy on her.

"Kneel and lay your weapons upon the table. I must speak with you for a moment."

The teen fox did as she was told and came to her knees and put the sheathed katanas on the low table in front of Splinter. There he sat with his eyes closed until he heard the clack of the swords. Slowly, the aged brown eyes opened and focused on the teenager in front of him. She looked afraid.

"JiiJii, I am so sorry for the worry that I brought upon you tonight. I am ashamed. My intention wasn't to-"

"Hush, child. You need not apologize to me. But I will express my growing concern regarding your dangerous behavior this evening. It was foolish. Reckless. And above all, dangerous. You can not complete your training as a kunoichi if you do not heed the instructions of your masters; your parents."

Aanika gulped. Her big blue eyes became rimmed with tears of embarrassment and shame. Splinter was, of course, right. He always knew what was best. But Aanika just could not resist the wild urges she felt to do what her gut told her. She didn't know what was wrong with her, why she always had to act the way she did. Being a smart-mouthed kid with a bad attitude wasn't who she was on the inside. Aanika really was the sweet and innocent girl she once was but she'd buried herself in her angst.

"The rules they have made are there for a reason, young one. Breaking those rules not only endangers you, but also your family. Safety is of the utmost importance for our kind. I know it is difficult to understand now, but you will in time. We must always look out for each other and not fall prey to our selfish desires. Every member of our family is vital."

"Forgive me, JiiJii. I was foolish…" The teen's voice trembled as she spoke, she couldn't bring her eyes off her weapons to look at Splinter. The shame was overwhelming.

"It is alright. Now, go on. I know your father is waiting to speak with you further on this matter. You are dismissed," Ears flattened even further as she bowed respectfully before leaving as quickly as she could to hide in her room. Leo wasn't there yet; she imagined he was talking Shiho down from her sky-high agitation. So quickly, she shut her door and flipped open her laptop and signed into her instant messenger.

It took no time for a familiar screen name to pop up in a window.

_Luckyderp: Heyy! You're back!_

The smile on Aanika's face was unmistakable. For a moment, the tension in her stomach released and her shoulders came down from their pulled up position to relax. Talking to Luckyderp always made her feel better. She quickly settled against her pillows with the computer in her lap so she could type. With all that had happened tonight, she wasn't really in a conversational mood but her talks with Luckyderp always seemed to make her forget her woes and just made her smile.

_Ninjaxfox13: Hi there._

_Luckyderp: Okay, what's wrong? You never say "Hi there"_

Aanika chuckled. They'd never met face to face but he knew her inside and out after the last six months of talking.

_Ninjaxfox13: I snuck out. Got in big trouble, my mom and dad actually came out, picked me up from my aunt's place and dragged me home. I'm still waiting for my dad to come up and talk to me. Ugh…my grandfather is so disappointed…_

_Luckyderp: Oh damn…why would you want to sneak out if you knew you were gonna get in trouble then?_

Aanika stared at the blinking curser in her reply box as she chewed her lip, trying to think of a reply. She knew that Leo was probably going to ask her the very same question, might as well practice. Looking at the way he put it, her decision had been a stupid one. But Aanika wasn't one to think more than two steps ahead; she always liked to run before she walked.

_Ninjaxfox13: It's just…I dunno. They're always so wrapped up in training my younger siblings and little cousins that I just get lost in the background. I figured why not just get out for a bit? It's not like they'd notice I was gone, they never notice when I'm here._

At his desk, Jeremy stared at the reply he was given and rubbed his chin in thought. This girl was his friend, and when he really thought about it, she was his best friend. Hearing that she felt so forgotten…so invisible in her own family broke his heart. The words she typed were screaming for help and he only wished he knew how.

_Luckyderp: Wow Sweetie. I'm sorry to hear that. I guess big families have their ups and downs don't they. It's hard standing out._

_Ninjaxfox13: Lots of downs lately. I love my mom and I love my dad. But I mean, I'm not their kid, it only makes sense that they forget about me. Why should they really focus on me when they have kids of their own to train and educate?_

Aanika wasn't going to ignore the burst of butterflies that broke out in her belly when he called her "Sweetie." He had before in the past but something about it now made it a little special. Made her feel special and noticed. Like she was an important part of at least one person.

_Luckyderp: Ah come on, I know they love you. They're just…caught up. You're the oldest right? I imagine they feel you know how to take care of yourself but still want you safe. Maybe that's why they got pissed when you took off._

_Ninjaxfox13: Maybe. Just tired of feeling like a black sheep._

Jeremy smiled. They had a lot in common, a lot more than he initially believed. He always felt like the black sheep all his life; in school, with his family, on the stupid soccer team his mom made him join when he was ten. They both had this lingering sense that they didn't belong but that seemed to have its own gravity and pulled them closer together. He kept his eyes on the screen a little longer before he felt it was time to change the subject.

_Luckyderp: Oh my god…did I tell you?_

_Ninjaxfox13: Tell me what?_

Aanika's ears twitched curiously as she tilted her head just a bit inquisitively.

_Luckyderp: A little after you got offline, I was watching an episode of Hey Arnold online when BAM!_

_Ninjaxfox13: Bam?_

_Luckyderp: Yeah! BAM! This girl falls onto my fire escape out of absolutely nowhere. Scared the shit out of me. _

Aanika gasped and clamped her hand over her mouth as she jumped back into her headboard. Her laptop landed gently onto her comforter as she pressed herself against the wall and stared at his response. Luckyderp was Jeremy?! Jeremy was Luckyderp?! Immediately, Aanika could feel the blood drain from her face and her heart nearly come to an absolute stop in her chest. Her parents were going to really kill her this time. When she noticed her messenger blinking from nudges that he sent, she shook her head free of the sudden onslaught of panic and sank down onto her back side before reaching forward and lifting her laptop onto her thighs.

_Ninjaxfox13: No way! That's so…random_

_Luckyderp: You're tellin' me! I don't know how she got there. But she was pretty cool. Really cute, had on a Pearl Jam t-shirt. _

Sharp little canines dug into the soft pink lip in the corner of Aanika's mouth as she tried to find the smile that was coming to her. Jeremy thought she was cute? That she was cool? Suddenly those butterflies that had been previously wreaking havoc in her stomach came to life once again. The fear of being punished seemed so far away in her mind and all that was at the front was Jeremy. She'd often wondered what he looked like, smelled like, sounded like. All of it fit perfectly together with the personality on the other side of the conversation she was having.

_Ninjaxfox13: That's so cool. Did she tell you her name?_

_Luckyderp: Yeah! I looked it up and it's a Russian name. She said it was Aanika. I'd never heard such a pretty name before._

He thought her name was pretty! Aanika squealed and wiggled in her spot.

_Ninjaxfox13: You're right. That is a pretty name. Which brings me to my next question._

_Luckyderp: Yeah?_

Both Jeremy and Aanika felt their throats grow dry. Jeremy in apprehension and Aanika from nervousness. Her fingers trembled over the keys as she tried to not sound like a dork.

_Ninjaxfox13: Well. We've been talking to each other for a while now. And I was wondering if you'd ever like to…you know…meet?_

"Meet?!" Jeremy nearly fell out of his computer chair in shock.

"Jeremy go to sleep!" Called his mother from her bedroom, clearly disgruntled.

"Agh…sorry Mom! Okay…okay…uhm…" Jeremy started to move his hands over the keyboard.

_Luckyderp: Really? I've been thinking the same thing. I'd like to. Maybe I can take you for coffee?_

Aanika froze up. She knew she couldn't just show up in the fox buff in public. She'd have to do this slowly. Very slowly. Quickly, she tried to think up a lie while Jeremy waited on the other end, tapping his finger impatiently on his desk. She needed to think of an answer soon because Leo would be up in her room at any second and disrupt her conversation. Or he'd get nosey and snoop through the windows. Snapping her fingers, she grinned with an idea.

_Ninjaxfox13: I have a bit of social anxiety. What if I just met you on the rooftop of your place? After dark, it's just easier for me to get around. People make me nervous…_

_Luckyderp: Gonna sneak out again huh? Alright, let's do it after my finals are over next week. I have a LOT of studying to do._

_Ninjaxfox13: Awesome!_

A knock on her door startled Aanika out of her reverie and back into reality. Right. She was still up to her neck in trouble.

_Ninjaxfox13: We'll work out the details later, my dad is here. Talk later, Doll._

Jeremy didn't get a chance to reply because she snapped the laptop closed and tucked it back under her bed before Leo opened the door and came inside. Aanika hardly looked at him as he shut the door and came to her bed and sat down at the foot end. Nervously, the teen fox gulped and her ears returned to the flattened state against her head. For a few moments, Leo only stared at her in silence, trying to make sense of her rebellion in his head before he chose to speak. He had to approach this carefully or else she'd retaliate again.

"What were you up to?" He asked, trying to get her to look up at him from her gaze at her bed sheets. "Annie."

"Nothing, just surfing the net. Is Mom pissed?" Leo chuckled half-heartedly and dragged his hand over the top of his head. Aanika knew all too well what that meant. She'd seen that look on him when even he had gotten himself on Shiho's bad side, not that it was hard to. Shiho had the beauty of a Spanish dame but had the temper of a wolverine.

"She's better now, but she was pretty upset. Aanika, I just need to understand what's going on with you. You've been just so hostile and angry all the time but you won't tell me why. I'm not a mind reader, honey."

Aanika tucked her knees up close to her chest and rested her chin on her kneecaps, hugging her legs. Leo scooted closer and smoothed his hand back through her chestnut waves to brush the locks out of her eyes. He wasn't sure if she was sorry for upsetting all of the adults or sorry because she'd gotten caught, teenagers were impossible to read. Especially when they clammed up the way she was always doing lately. And right now, she was as quiet as mouse.

"Aanika, please. I'm not going to get in your face and yell at you. But you owe me an explanation. Your mom and I are about at our wits end trying to decode your behavior. You need to talk to me," Leo spoke softly. Aanika looked up from her bed sheets with blue eyes that tugged at his heart strings, she learned that from Shiho. Hugging her knees tighter, Aanika decided she'd speak.

"Daddy I don't mean to make you mad," She struggled to remember what she'd told Jeremy. It was so perfect and she was drawing a blank on explaining while she felt so invisible. "It's just…like I said earlier. It's so hard to get you to notice me. At all. I just wanted to get away from being so ignored for a little while. I thought if I'm gonna be by myself, I'd rather do it on my own that with the help of my supposed family. I'm just a ghost, Daddy."

"So you thought that sneaking out into the city in the middle of the night was a good idea?" Leo raised his eye ridge in question. Aanika huffed.

"Well no but…Daddy it's like I'm not even part of the family anymore. No one asks me how I'm doing. There's no one my own age to talk to. And ever since the younger kids started training, I really became part of the décor here. I'm so invisible…"

It all came rushing out of her mouth in a messy tumble of words and she very nearly started to cry. Being this honest with Leo hurt so much because she knew he wasn't doing it on purpose, but it's just the way she'd felt for the last few years. She remembered what Jeremy had told her, that her parents weren't oblivious to her existence they just had everything on their plate at once. Hearing that she honestly felt this disconnected cut Leo, and it cut him deeply. It was never his intention to make her feel as though she didn't belong, no, he only ever wanted her to know that she was more than loved. She was his first baby, biologically or not, Aanika had his heart first.

"Annie, I know it seems like we've forgotten about you, that we've cast you aside for the younger kids. But, Baby you couldn't be more wrong. This seclusion in your training is to mold you into the leader that you one day will be. Patience, understanding, and most of all control. Not just over your strength but your emotions, Aanika. Splinter often did this with me when I was your age and it sucked, I won't lie. But it made sense when I took a step back. Annie," Leo opened his left arm up and wrapped it around her curled up form, scooting her right up against his side. The tense muscles in her shoulders relaxed in his embrace as she moved up into his lap the way she did as a child.

"I know you feel different, that you don't belong. But you need to know that your mom and I do love you, you're our first, remember?"

Aanika sniffled and wiped her eyes with the heel of her palm before rubbing her nose.

"But, I'm not yours. Erasmus, Allegra, Artemis. They're your flesh and blood. I'm just some kid. Mom could care less about me…"

"Aanika. Stop that. In case you haven't noticed, I don't exactly have Splinter's strong chin," Aanika quietly giggled at his joke. "Those technicalities; they don't matter to me or your mom. She wouldn't have nearly killed herself to save you if she didn't love you."

Aanika's ears raised and opened in question, she didn't understand what he meant. Leo took the hint and let her stand before leading her out into the lair and down the stairs. Shiho was still assaulting the punching bag in the dojo so she wasn't a concern for disruption. Aanika followed with her hand tucked into Leo's as he came to stop by the large, dark stain on the floor when some of the brick had been eroded. Still, Aanika didn't understand what he was trying to tell her.

"Do you know what this stain on the floor is?" Aanika shook her dark head, lightly tossing her wavy hair in the process. Leo leaned over and kissed the top of her head, deepening her confusion. "It's a blood stain."

"B-blood stain?!" She shrieked and her eyes widened.

"Shh. Yes. A blood stain. More importantly, your mom's blood," Leo knelt down and ran his palm over the rough brick as he brought his memory back to that day. Aanika knelt beside him and mimicked his motions. "Eleven years ago, you, Mom, and Master Splinter were attacked by another hybrid from your lab. Micah. He came to take you and her back to your creator to be taken apart. Your mom fought him with every ounce of strength she had to keep him away from you and spilled all of this blood you see here."

Suddenly, Aanika remembered bits and pieces of that night. Shiho was under the impression that she was sick and stayed home to watch movies with Aanika and Splinter when they were surprised by her old "brother" Micah, a male hybrid Marcus had created to be Shiho's original mate. Aanika had been so traumatized that her mind locked away that memory as a defense to keep her from having nightmares.

"Shiho was overpowered because Micah had been given the same Madness that she possesses. And you were taken, but she held you. She held onto you and covered you with her body like a shield even though she was wounded and in a world of pain. And then she faced Micah and made sure you were out of harm's way."

"I'd forgotten about that…Daddy whatever happened to Micah anyway?"

Leo's throat tightened at the memory. He vividly remembered…

"Marcus set the building to explode and wanted to keep Shiho and all of you there. But Micah stayed and held him down and faced the explosion so we could get out," Leo explained, he left out the part of Micah saying his goodbye to Shiho by kissing her right in front of him. He didn't want Aanika to know that much; he just wanted her to open her eyes to what she had.

"Wow…"

"Exactly. So if you ever get the feeling that your mother doesn't love your or notice you, take a glance at this stain and remember what she did for you. What we all did for you. I don't think I've ever been more afraid of losing you in my life, Aanika. So," Leo stood and placed his hands on Aanika's shoulders, looking her directly in the eyes. "You understand what your punishment is?"

"…yeah…"

"Your training will intensify and you have lost your patrol privileges for the next month," Aanika opened her mouth to complain but Leo held up a hand to silence her before she could start. Her mouth snapped shut in a pout. "You're lucky that's all you're getting. Your mother had half a mind of summoning the Ancient One and you spending a month with him."

Both father and daughter shuddered at the thought of spending any time alone with the fat little Ancient One. His obnoxious orders he always made and his stomach-churning farts were enough to make anyone insane. Aanika thanked her lucky stars that Shiho hadn't gone through with that punishment in particular. Leo knew all too well just how maddening the little master could be. His trip to Japan as a teenager lasted way too long in his opinion. Especially the nights, the passing of gas was much worse at night.

"Daddy, I'm sorry."

"I know. Just talk to me, Aanika. I promise I won't bite your head off if something is really bothering you, okay?" Both of his large hands cupped her pretty face, his thumbs grazing across her cheeks to bring out her lovely smile. With a kiss on the forehead, Leo brought her against his plastron in a tight embrace. "There's my girl."

* * *

"Hey! You about done with murdering the punching bag yet?" Saundra sauntered into the dojo, her thick tail dragging on the tail behind her as her clawed toes clicked on the ground with every step she took. Shiho paused mid kick and stepped away from the mutilated punching bags. There were rips and tears all over the place from her taking large swipes of her nails, sand gathered at her feet from the rips. The leader wiped her brow and exhaled deeply as she greeted her sister with an irritated expression.

"What do you want, Sandy? I'm busy," Shiho picked up the towel she had left on the ground and pat at her face and neck. Saundra laughed and slung her arm over her sister's shoulders and walked with her to the bench for a guzzle of water.

"Just came to check on you. Maggie wanted to do it but I convinced her it would be hazardous for her health," Shiho plopped onto her butt and laughed, taking a gulp of water from her bottle. At her side, Sandy had started to lift a small weight.

"Good idea. I'm fine, I guess. I want to strangle my child but I'm fine. Leo had a talk with her and explained her punishment. Hopefully, this erratic behavior is coming to an end. I don't think I take another night like this," Shiho went on, running her fingers through her hair. "What are you doing awake, anyway? It's like 2am."

"Oh. Raph just threw himself into bed and started snoring like a royal beast. You know how it is," Shiho smiled sympathetically at her sister's unfortunate evening. She felt bad for dragging Raphael out so late, but she needed all the help she could get. Saundra switched the weight in her hands and looked sideways at her foxy leader, noticing a strange tension in her muscles. "What's the matter?"

"Other than the obvious? Nothing. Just trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong," Shiho stood up and tossed the towel over her shoulder as she began to pace in front of Saundra. The gecko knew this behavior all too well, watcher her sister pace back and forth in her days inside of Marcus' lab when she was worried. She knew better than to stop Shiho's movements, that it would only lead to another burst of erratic anger. Shiho might have a handle on her Madness, but she was still the firecracker she'd always been in her youth. Using the hair tie on her wrist, the fox tied her hair back into a loose bun and blew a stream of air through her violet bangs.

"You're not doing anything wrong, Sis. She's just a teenager. Come on, how many times a week would you bite Marcus when you were her age?" Saundra said, crossing her muscled, scaly legs. Shiho continued to pace and tug on her fingers in though.

"Things were different then, Saundra. Aanika isn't in a lab facing daily experimentation and beatings like we did at that age. There isn't a reason for her to react like I had to. I give her what I didn't…I'm just so confused, Sandy…" Shiho sounded wary and tired. Saundra could see it on her beautiful face, the dark circles and the loss in her sun-kissed complexion. The gecko twisted her snout into a frown before she stood and wrapped her arms around her sister, giving her back a supportive rub or two.

"Hey, it's gonna even out soon. She's bound to grow out of it, she's growing up, Shiho."

Shiho grimaced.

"I know…she just grew up too fast. It's like just yesterday Leo was carrying her around on his shoulders and she was chanting for pizza. Where'd the time go?" Both sisters looked up when they heard a throat being cleared in the doorway of the dojo and stood apart from their embrace. Shiho smiled warmly at the sight of her mate looking back at her as he leaned against the wall. Both girls looked at each other and exchanged a quick kiss on the cheek before Saundra took her leave, but not without a good punch to her brother's arm.

"OW!"

"Later, Tiger. Night, Shiho." Leo grunted and watched the boyish gecko exit. Rubbing his arm, he approached his lovely fox and took her into both of his arms with the greeting of a kiss.

"How'd it go?" Shiho muttered in a daze, Leo had the habit of kissing the breath out of her when she was upset. Something he'd always had a knack for doing since the first kiss on their rooftop over a decade ago. Shiho wasn't kidding when she realized time had flown by faster than she could blink.

"Not too bad. She knows what she did was dangerous and wrong. Got a few real tears out of her, I think she's getting the idea. Honey, we've got a problem," Leo husked, leaning his forehead against hers. Long lashes fluttered as she glanced up at those amber eyes of his in confusion.

"What?"

"Aanika is feeling so left out that she doesn't think she's part of this family anymore. She had it in her head that we want the kids, just the kids. I think we both are a little to blame for the way she's been acting."

Like clockwork, Shiho's hands gripped into his biceps and she chewed her lip.

"That's what I've been doing wrong…Haven't been very fair in distributing my attention have I…" Shiho said in a voice so low Leo thought he was merely hearing things. But by the dim light in her eyes, he could see the regret in his mate as a light turned on somewhere. "I need to talk to her."

"Do it in the morning. You both need sleep and time to cool down with each other. Besides, I need to get that frown off your pretty face," The violet vixen squealed as Leo hurriedly swooped down for a hot and heavy kiss that made her knees buckle and her head spin. Oh those kisses never changed and certainly never lost their luster. The bruising intensity in which they came turned the both of them back into the young things they used to be.

"We're still young. What do ya say, how about a little night cap? It's a lot better than a punching bag, don't you think?" Leo grinned like a lush and swept her off her feet. Shiho giggled wildly and kicked her mile long legs.

"Oh thank God for the longevity. Let's go, Stud," Leo chuckled and walked away with his prize.

By longevity, Shiho meant their age. Donatello had made quite the discovery about the turtles and the hybrids when he noticed the delay in signs of aging in every one of them. Shiho and her sisters were in their 30's and didn't look a day over 25. The disruption of their DNA mutated something, the one thing Marcus did right in Shiho's opinion. Even the turtles looked damn fine for their age, none of them seemed to be feeling the effects of aging whatsoever. For all they knew, they could live past 100 years!

They'd deal with Aanika in the morning, but for now, the mates had to go release the tension. Leo knew just how to knead the knots out of Shiho's shoulders. Aanika on the other hand, was sitting in her room with her favorite storybook opened in her lap. _Guess How Much I Love You._ She had read it cover to cover at least twice in the last hour to make sense of herself and her role in her family. Her talk with Leo only assured her enough to relax but not enough to feel accepted.

"I love you to the moon and back…" Aanika recited. Shiho used to read this book to her at bedtime and that had always been her favorite quote. She wondered if Shiho's love reached that far, or even further from the way Leo had described. But Aanika wasn't sold just yet, she had to be shown one way or another. She just didn't know how yet. Despite all of the swirling worries in her head, one thing remained stoic. Jeremy.

Jeremy had agreed to meet her, said she was cute…Aanika wondered what this strange feeling was that was covering her from head to toe. Tingles. The mere thought of Jeremy brought a coy and girlish smile to her face. Maybe with enough persuasion, she could convince her family to accept him. He was human, but so was April, Casey, and Linda. She had to take this slowly and, once again, secretly. Meeting with Jeremy was going to be a real test of her ninja skills if she was going to keep her parents off the scent. Grinning at the thought of seeing him again, Aanika curled up with Mr. Beeskers and nuzzled under her blankets.

"Jeremy…"

* * *

**A/N: Again, sorry if it bored you. But in my opinion this discussion between Leo and Aanika was important and Shiho's eyes opening. More or less. But anyway, I'll update as soon as I can. Love you Duckies!**


	6. Guess Who!

**********A/N: OH. MY. GOD. I hate myself for taking this long to update ; w ; I'm sorry, Duckies! Really I am! Anyway, SMUT ALERT...or slight smut. Whatever. Eheh, naked stuff! :D There. I need more reviews on this puppy, I have little to go on about what you guys like and such. I'm hoping that this story is as interesting as "Turtle's Vixen" because I'm trying to keep it fresh.**

**********NOTICE: THIS STORY HAS OC CHARACTERS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT ANY OF THEM LOOK LIKE, PLEASE CHECK THE LINKS ON MY PROFILE FOR YOUR VISUAL AID.**

* * *

"_I love you to the moon and back…" Aanika recited. Shiho used to read this book to her at bedtime and that had always been her favorite quote. She wondered if Shiho's love reached that far, or even further from the way Leo had described. But Aanika wasn't sold just yet, she had to be shown one way or another. She just didn't know how yet. Despite all of the swirling worries in her head, one thing remained stoic. Jeremy._

_Jeremy had agreed to meet her, said she was cute…Aanika wondered what this strange feeling was that was covering her from head to toe. Tingles. The mere thought of Jeremy brought a coy and girlish smile to her face. Maybe with enough persuasion, she could convince her family to accept him. He was human, but so was April, Casey, and Linda. She had to take this slowly and, once again, secretly. Meeting with Jeremy was going to be a real test of her ninja skills if she was going to keep her parents off the scent. Grinning at the thought of seeing him again, Aanika curled up with Mr. Beeskers and nuzzled under her blankets._

"_Jeremy…"_

* * *

Steam swirled in thick waves like a fog around the bathroom as Aanika shoved open the slick shower curtain and stepped out of the tub and began the process of drying herself off. Shiho hadn't been joking when she said that her training would intensify. Everything hurt, even the tip of her tail and her ears seemed to hurt; something she wasn't aware of being possible. But Shiho was sticking to her act of punishing the teen for sneaking out last week. Aanika had lost count of the flips she'd done in the passing week and honestly she didn't want to know. The roughest part of the restriction was not being able to train with her weapons. Like Leo, Aanika had become greatly attached to her katanas and felt incomplete without them clutched in her hands as she faced off with the training dummies.

The only thing that helped Aanika push through her training was the notion that sometime in the next few days she'd get to see Jeremy again. She couldn't stop her thoughts from wandering to the handsome human during the hours she spent meditating and when she had the chance to relax. His adorable smile with the nicest teeth she'd ever seen, his loose and wavy hair that she just wanted to run her fingers through, and the loveliest pair of honey brown eyes; Jeremy was just perfection in Aanika's opinion. Chats with him online never ceased but he was more distracted than usual while studying for his finals. She didn't mind though, even when he complained she found him undeniably sweet. The only obstacle that stood in her way of seeing him again was her parents. Shiho and Leo had been watching her like a hawk and barely giving her a chance alone so she wouldn't sneak out again.

"Ohh Jeremy…you're so lucky that finals are the only things you have to worry about…" Aanika quietly muttered as she wiped down the steamy mirror with her palm and stared at her reflection. Bracing her hands on the sink, the fox studied her appearance. She wasn't Hollywood beautiful but she was at least pretty with a clear complexion and ivory skin. Her eyes were large and a mesmerizing shade of cerulean and framed in thick black eyelashes that one would see one a porcelain doll. That's what Aanika saw when she looked at herself, a doll. Pretty and lovely but placed on a shelf behind the protective glass or shield of her parents.

With a heavy sigh, she wrapped herself in her pale blue bath robe and began to towel dry her hair as she exited the bathroom to return to her bedroom. Casting a glance downwards into the lair towards the couch she noticed her parents sitting together alone in front of the television. Arching a curious brow, she ducked behind a pillar and decided to observe; now was as good a time as ever to execute her ninja silence and invisibility.

The voices were hushed but Aanika's sensitive ears picked up every rustle and word that was exchanged. Shiho was situated in Leo's lap with his powerful arms wrapped around her form, one hand between her legs and the other caressing her neck and chest. The vixen was absolutely writhing in his grip and to Aanika's trained eye she knew exactly what that body language from Shiho meant. Suddenly a plan began to formulate in her complex mind and a coy little smile curved her lips. She knew now when she was going to see Jeremy and how she was going to do it. Judging by the barely contained gasps and the way Leo was digging his teeth into his mate's shoulder, it was within the next 24 hours.

"You want it, don't you, Shiho?" Aanika's ears twitched open at the sound of Leo's rough voice. Narrowing her luminescent eyes, the teen took this chance to slip away to her bedroom before she heard something that she wouldn't be able to forget. "Tsk, look how wet you are."

Too late. With a forcefully contained groan and a gag, Aanika scurried away down the hall to her bedroom and silently shut the door. With an excited wiggle in her hips, the teen pranced over to her bed and flopped down in front of her open laptop where her conversation with Jeremy was waiting. A strange bubbling in her stomach had her chewing her lip in a grin.

_Ninjaxfox13: Heyy, I'm out. Sorry I took so long._

_Luckyderp: Damn! What is with chicks and long showers?!_

Aanika giggled and rolled her eyes. She could just imagine him sitting at his computer desk bored out of his mind playing Solitaire to pass the time.

_Ninjaxfox13: Hahah! I'm sorryyy. My parents have really been running me ragged lately so I just sorta sat there for a while. Hey! Are you free tomorrow night? My parents are going out and I can come see you._

On his end, Jeremy gulped and wiped his suddenly sweaty palms down the front of his shirt. He did say he could see her once finals were over and he'd taken his last one today. Tomorrow was Saturday so he'd have the free time…Quickly licking his dry lips, Jeremy typed away.

_Luckyderp: All good on this end. You really sure you should sneak out again though? I mean what if they find out?_

Quickly changing into her over-sized night shirt, Aanika sat cross legged on her bed as she ran her hands through her damp hair. She was absolutely certain that her parents weren't going to find out, she'd seen that behavior many times in the past and knew what happened afterwards.

_Ninjaxfox13: Nah, they'll be out until sunrise. They usually are when they go out for date night. How does…hmm…10 o'clock sound?_

_Luckyderp: That sounds great. I can't wait! _

_Luckyderp: Btw…what's your real name? _

Suddenly Aanika froze. She quickly thought up a lie to keep him off the scent until tomorrow night, the last thing she needed was to spook him. With the embarrassing entrance she'd made the first time, she wanted to make sure she cleared her name and save the jokes for now. He'd most certainly make fun of her.

_Ninjaxfox13: Nope! You'll find out tomorrow. Just send me your address and meet me on the roof at 10. OH! I gotta go, I'm supposed to study with my Uncle Donnie now._

_Luckyderp: You are such a book worm..alright. Goodnight, Sweetie 3_

"He called me Sweetie again! Eee! Oh shit…" Aanika covered her mouth when she realized how loud she was being. Quickly saying her goodbye's to Jeremy, the teen closed her laptop and ran a brush through her hair before disappearing to Donnie's workshop to catch up on some reading. She couldn't go to a regular high school so she relied on Donatello to give her all the knowledge that she needed. Sometimes…it was more than she could handle, but that was Donnie.

* * *

It was more than obvious the sexual tension between Shiho and Leonardo the next afternoon was at all time high. Both were sneaking away into the dark hallways of the lair for a sliver of privacy but were quickly yanked away by some conflict or scuffled in the family. But to Aanika, she knew what was going to happen tonight. They were going to take a "perimeter run" topside and wind up in the abandoned ballet studio in one of the many decrepit skyscrapers of the city. The adults pretended to be none the wiser when Shiho said "perimeter run" but they were all too aware that they were sneaking away to get steamy. No one could blame them of course.

Being the leaders brought with it little time to be together and the few moments they did find were brief and often interrupted. So the chance to actually separate themselves from the pressures of home was taken without a second thought. Hell, all of the mates did it at one point or another, Shiho and Leo were just clever enough to come up with it first. One didn't have to be a mutant to feel the strains of parenthood, and the leaders had their hands full with four.

Shiho and her sisters worked busily in the kitchen to get dinner finished and served to their mates and children so they could take a breath and eat. Aanika sat in her spot between Donatello and Michelangelo as she picked at her dinner and kept her eyes glued to her parents. Her mother was nearly squirming in her seat, just dying to finish so she could make a run for the surface with Leo quickly on her tail. But with a plate full of mashed potatoes, juicy pork tenderloin, and a side of mixed vegetables and a dinner roll. Aanika knew if she didn't eat, Shiho would catch on.

"So, Aanika, I've heard that your speed has greatly improved in the last week. I'm proud of you for taking your punishment in stride," Shiho said from her spot beside Leo at the round table. The adults sat in one group, and the kids all sat in another excluding Aanika who had earned her place with the turtles and hybrids. Blinking in mild disbelief, the teen managed a polite smile.

"Yeah, thanks, Mom. I've been trying. Uncle Donnie has been killing me with Trig and Chemistry, though," She teased, nudging her uncle with her elbow.

"Hey, if you wouldn't absorb the information like a sponge at an incredible rate, I wouldn't have to throw everything I know at you to keep up. Anyway, what's the plan for tonight guys?" Donnie asked, politely taking a bite of his dinner roll. His question was directed at Leo who shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Oh, we're just going to do a quick perimeter run and then just scout around. We'll be back in the morning," He answered as nonchalantly as he could. Aanika quietly smiled as she took another bite of pork. She knew it. She could just see the angst in her mother's eyes right now, she was itching to bolt from the table.

"Right, _perimeter run_. Keep an eye out for those Purple Dragons, Mom. From what I heard on the news, they're growing in their numbers," Aanika made the attempt to keep her parents occupied with conversation, the less they suspected the better. What she said, though, was true.

"Yeah! Ever since Donnie played Mad Scientist and mutated Hun back to his normal, charming self it's like they tripled in numbers over the last ten years!" Raph spat with his mouthful of potatoes. His behavior earned him a rough elbow in the side from Saundra and like always, he obeyed. Shiho's ears flattened against her head as she set her fork down onto her plate with her napkin, a sign that she was done eating. Leo noticed her cue and did the same and stood.

"Exactly why we need everyone on their toes. Hun doesn't know where this lair is and that's just the way we want to keep it. But anyway, Shiho and I are off. Aanika, you have reading tonight and I expect it done. Donnie, you're in charge until we get back, do _not_ let Aanika out of your sight, she's still grounded," Leo said his orders with that firm tone that riled Shiho's jimmies. She always adored when he took charge and asserted his dominance. Donnie saluted with his fork as the pair made their swift exit for the surface, they looked as though they couldn't leave fast enough.

_Perfect._ Aanika smiled and took her plate to the sink so she could scamper off to her room to grab her long coat and her beanie. Her uncles hardly noticed she'd excused herself from the table, but did hear the sound of the dojo doors slide open when she attempted to sneak in and grab her weapons. A heavy, green hand on her shoulder nearly sent her to the roof with a scream as she quickly slammed the doors shut and whipped around to see who had snuck up on her.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"U-Uncle Donnie! Hello!" Flattened ears pressed tightly against Aanika's head as she faced her genius uncle who stood before her with his arms folded across his plastron. To his left stood Fiona with a disapproving frown on her lips. Aanika chuckled nervously and sunk down into her shoulders, her tail coming between her legs.

"You weren't planning on sneaking out again were you? Because that isn't going to fly, Missy. Your dad put me in charge and you _know_ how much trouble you're already in. Explain," The teen flinched. She was caught.

"N-no! I swear I-..." Donnie tipped his beak down to stare into her eyes, he could be downright intimidating when he wanted to. Aanika knew better than to challenge her uncle, he'd whip her butt in less than two seconds. "Alright, alright. I was hoping Mom and Daddy would leave so I could go meet my friend…"

Both Fiona and Donnie gawked with wide eyes and gaping mouths.

"Are you nuts?! Do you have _any_ idea how dangerous that is?! Shiho would kill us if she found out that we just let you-"

"Fiona, honey…go help the kids clean up the table. I'll handle this, you're shrieking again," Fiona almost argued, but she knew Donnie would take care of this better than she would. The red-head fox huffed and did as she was told, leaving the turtle and teen. Fiona's shrill voice had snagged Mikey and Raph's attention causing them to flank their brother on either side. To avoid snagging their sensei's attention, they all went inside the dojo and shut the doors.

"Annie, there is no way I'm letting you go topside so you can meet a human, a stranger. It's dangerous," Donnie started. Aanika hated the disappointed looks on all of her uncle's faces as they stared her down. If they could just understand…

"But…Donnie, he's my friend. He'd never hurt me, I've been talking to him online-"

"_He?_ This friend is a boy?! Online!? Dammit, Donnie, I knew you shouldn't have given her that laptop. Not only is she talkin' to strangers online, she's talkin' to _boys _online! Leo is gonna flip!" Raph boomed, throwing his hands in the air and pacing in circles. Both Mikey and Donnie groaned at the situation, palming their faces.

"Listen, little Dudette, I know it's tough being sixteen and junk, but you gotta think about what you're doin'. You've never met this dude, who knows what he could do to you," Mikey added while Raphael continued to ramble on to himself. Aanika poked her index fingers together nervously and sheepishly.

"That's the thing…I did meet him. By accident."

"WHAT?!" Collectively, the brothers hollered.

"It was an accident! I fell onto his fire escape when I snuck out last time and by chance, it just happened to be him. He's just a normal teenager…" Donnie could tell by the way she trailed off in her words that there was more to this boy that Aanika was letting on. Calmly, he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes once again.

"Annie…you like him don't you?" He asked bluntly, both Mikey and Raph were stunned when she slowly began to nod. Both of them groaned.

"Ohh no. Leo is _not_ going to like this."

"Forget about Leo, Mikey. It's _Shiho _that we needa worry about," The brothers had gathered together and began to converse. Aanika's eyes landed on her weapons that were laid out on a wall display. Taking slow, quiet steps to the wall, Aanika silently withdrew her weapons from the rack and strapped them to her back and snuck out through the dojo doors. Her uncles were still discussing and talking loudly in the room as she darted past her sisters and family, making a made dash out of the lair.

_Made it!_ She thought to herself in triumph as she started to make her ways through the tunnels towards the surface. Her uncles had a bad habit of becoming immersed in their conversations that they lost the ability to observe their surroundings, giving her just the edge she needed to get out. Peeking out of a manhole, glowing blue eyes observed a clear alley under a dark night sky. Tugging the blue beanie onto her head to obscure her ears, Aanika slipped into her long coat. Shiho had sewn a pocket on the inside for her to tuck her tail into so it wouldn't be seen under the jacket's hem, so clever. With her tail hidden and her ears covered up, she took one last look around. Once out, she returned the lid to its place and checked the time on her phone, 9:45. She had fifteen minutes to get to Jeremy's, more than enough time.

With a powerful leap onto a fire escape ladder, Aanika began her ascent to the rooftops and started her run towards Jeremy's rooftop. She knew she was going to get more than an earful from her uncles but she prayed they'd have mercy and not tell her parents who wouldn't be home until sunrise.

Shiho and Leo were much too busy to come home early.

* * *

Hot hands braced a balancing bar as Shiho pressed her breasts firmly against the mirror. Her mate stood behind her with his hands tightly gripping her hips as he made slow and powerful love to her. Twelve floors above street level in a long abandoned skyscraper, the leaders collided and crashed together in perfect rhythm and synchronicity. Leo clamped his teeth into his fox's shoulder and roughly tore into her sun-kissed flesh hard enough to leave a bruise. It had been some time since they'd had the chance to escape home and be the lovers they used to be once again. Raw and impassioned and absolutely crazy about each other.

"Leo…Leo…!" Shiho panted after every thump he made against her backside, his pace picking up in its speed. Leo released her shoulder and clenched his teeth together as he dug his fingers into her soft flesh with a grunt. It didn't matter how long they'd been together, Shiho always managed to drive him wild. "Almost…almost!"

"Nngh…you ready?" He husked into the fur of her ear, now slamming into her swollen core with all of his strength. Shiho released the balance bar and pressed her back flush against his plastron to turn her head back and kiss him hard on the mouth. Leo didn't let up for a second and plowed his divine vixen until he felt the familiar tingling of near release. His hands let go of her hips and wandered the surface of her skin, gripping her breasts and squeezing her close.

The sensation of Leo's hands on her body drove the fox to the brink of euphoric insanity, she loved nothing more than her mate's powerful palms caressing and loving her. His brute strength was what had always attracted Shiho to her turtle; his muscles, his authority, his raw desire…thinking about it all brought on the hot pressure in her groin and the bubbling sensation in her belly. The feel of Leo deep within, stroking and colliding…oh it was more perfect than words could ever possibly describe. Shiho felt truly blessed that Leo had chosen her all those years ago, she couldn't see herself making love this passionate to anyone other than Leonardo.

"Ungh…cumming-! Shiho..!" Leo groaned and clamped his teeth back into her shoulder as he jammed his practically pulsating shaft into her depths where he released without any signs of stopping. At the first sense, the first splash of burn, Shiho tossed her head back and let out a primal scream of ecstasy. The bite on her shoulder became tighter with every second Leo remained inside, filling his vixen with his essence until it began to crawl down the insides of her shaking thighs.

"Oh Leo…" Shiho gasped when she experienced him twitch against her cervix before withdrawing from inside. Leo grasped both of her hands as he wrapped his arms possessively around her, holding her tightly as he began to come down from his high. Kisses trailed up from her shoulder to her neck and stopping at her jaw where his beak nuzzled into the crook.

"How was that?" He muttered, still out of breath. In his arms, he could feel her strong tremors and shakes and chuckled as he took a few steps backwards with her in his embrace until he came to the mattress on the floor. A set of sheets lay in utter disarray with pillows scattered about its surface. "Lay down, Babe."

Shiho did as she was told. She never bothered to disobey her beloved turtle, not after he made her head spin and her ears buzz. As she nestled comfortable against her hill of pillows she waited as Leo climbed up beside her to cuddle her against his side. Her head rested against his bicep as that hand came up and pet her hair with a smile on his face.

"How was that he says…wonderful, Darling. Not bad for an old man," Shiho chuckled and curled her tail about her waist. Leo snorted.

"Old?! Oh come on now, is that a grey hair I see?"

"WHERE?! Shiho squealed as her hands flew to the top of her head. She got a good laugh out of her mate, so good in fact he snorted through his nose as he fought for air. "Asshole."

"Oh but, Baby, you love me."

"That's irrelevant…" Shiho rolled those hypnotically bright eyes as she returned to her place on his arm. Leo shifted onto his side and caressed her jaw with his opposite hand, stroking her cheek with his thumb affectionately and just looking at her. Shiho had just turned 35 and damn…she didn't look older than the day he met her. The longevity trait in her DNA was really working in her favor it seemed, even though she had a few wrinkles in the corners of her lips and eyes he didn't care. They only showed when she smiled.

"What is it?" He whispered, kissing the tip of her nose. The fox hummed comfortably and nuzzled into his warm palm with a sigh.

"Nothing much," Shiho answered shortly but dreamily. Thumbtip grazed over glossy dark lips, curling them into a beautiful grin.

"Nothing much? So, what's chatting up your mind?" Shiho suddenly closed her eyes, cutting Leo off from that violet glow that he had come to adore. This triggered a bit of concern. "What Babe?"

"It's just…Are we being too hard on Aanika? I know she can't help her tendencies…" Shiho said at last, letting go of her held breath. Leo paused and studied his mate's face for a moment as he tried to think of an answer.

"Maybe a little, but it's only because we love her. Admit it, she is a little reckless," Thick fingers pushed back through violet bangs and then through chestnut locks, soothing the fretting vixen in the process. "If you want, we can let up on her a little. Let her come back with us on patrol. But only with us."

Shiho pondered Leo's suggestion, mulling it over in her tired brain. She knew that if they didn't let up on the reigns on their oldest, she'd never break this rebellion. It was only natural and expected from a girl like Aanika. But it was just as natural for Shiho and Leo to want to protect her…to keep her safe…to save her from being called a freak like they had been. Shiho wouldn't be able to live with herself if she had to wipe the tears from her daughter's face after being shunned by the world. Leo just the same, the idea alone was agonizing to him.

"Alright. But her training stays at the level it's at. I don't want her to slip up mentally…Leo what if-"

"Shh…Shiho, we're supposed to forget about the kids when we're out, remember?" Leo shushed his vixen with a finger to her lips and causing her to giggle like a teen. Shiho nodded, folding her ears closed as she placed her hand against his neck, her fingers kneading the tense nerves to bring him to kiss her.

"Yeah, I got it. Kiss me, Domehead."

Leo chuckled, "You got it, Fuzzball."

* * *

Aanika stood on the rooftop adjacent to Jeremy's apartment and stared while chewing her lip. A light breeze fluttered her wavy, auburn hair about her shoulders making her tug her beanie even tighter onto her head. She was suddenly aware of her mutations and wondered if this was a good idea. But seeing the light in Jeremy's bedroom window turn off and him climbing out onto the fire escape silenced her doubts and ignited the sparks in her belly once again. Taking a deep breath, the teen fox took a running leap onto the rooftop and rolled into the shadow of the small maintenance shed, she didn't make a sound. Jeremy on the other hand, was ridiculously noisy as he clambered up the iron ladder and stumbled onto the roof; Aanika had to stifle a giggle.

Jeremy looked at his watch. "Right on time. Now…who am I looking for?"

"U-uhm…m-me…" Jeremy whipped around, startled, and faced the direction of where the delicate and feminine voice had come from. It rang familiar in his ears…but it couldn't be. "H-hi Jeremy. Remember me?"

"Aanika?! _YOU'RE _Foxy?!" Jeremy exclaimed as that clumsy girl who fell onto his fire escape came out of the shadows. Her hands were clasped behind her back and beneath her beanie her ears were folded tightly against her head shyly. The sweetest of smiles was graced on her uncertain face as she came closer to a very stunned Jeremy.

"Hehe…y-yeah. Surpriiise…" Aanika's voice was small and quiet. Jeremy's brown eyes receded from their former dinner plate size as that sweet thing was staring up at him with those memorable blue eyes that he absolutely _swore _were glowing!

"Wow! This is unbelievable…and so cool. I guess 'Hi, my name is Jeremy' is a little useless now, huh?"

Both teens laughed, Aanika looked away with a blush on her cheeks while he nervously scratched the back of his neck. With a jerk of his head towards the wall edge of the roof, they both went over to have a seat beside each other. He let her sit first, and upon noticing the twin katanas strapped to her back, Jeremy gasped.

"Woah! What are _those _for?!"

Aanika jumped.

"Huh?! Oh! These? U-uhm…protection? Daddy said to never the lai-…house without them," She almost said "lair". How odd would that have been? _Humans don't live in lairs, Stupid!_

"Jesus…what is he? A ninja?"

"N-no! Don't be silly…ninjas in New York haha…Uhm, how are you feeling? After finals I mean, the school year is over isn't it?" Aanika quickly steered the subject elsewhere before she began to touch base about her parents and what they do…what she was trained to do.

"Oh. Yeah, it ended two days ago. I am dead tired, studied night and day for those stupid tests. I'm a senior next year, so I had to try and ace them all so I can get the classes I want. What about you? Do you have finals?" Jeremy glanced sideways at that cute little thing to his right. The lights of the traffic below illuminated her round face and accentuated her eyes.

"Sort of. I'm home schooled like I said. Daddy is the one who tests me, and sometimes Uncle Donnie. He's been making me hit the books like a slave lately though. I absolutely _hate_ bio-chemisty. It's so exhausting," Aanika rambled. Thinking about Donatello dropping another book in front of her almost made her nauseous and her eyes cross. She didn't notice Jeremy gawking at her, again.

"Bio-chemistry? Aanika…what is he? A genius?!"

"Well, yeah. Kinda. Uncle Donnie is like a modern day Einstein, It's ridiculous. Hehe."

Both teens sat on that rooftop for hours, talking and exploring each other inside and out. Jeremy noticed how she consistently skirted around the subject of her parents or what their occupation was, and he had to admit it made him a little wary. But her bubbly personality, sweet charm, and her fresh beauty seemed to allow him to ignore that suspicion. They could talk forever, they would go on and on when they chatted online. Now that they were without the screen, it seemed even easier than before to just be themselves. Aanika liked the sound of Jeremy's voice, it was deep and with a cute croak of adolescence. But his face was so expressive with his words, his brows would wiggle and waggle and his smiles varied in their size but were always dazzling.

Jeremy took another glance at his watch and whistled. "Damn, you realize we've been up here for four hours? It's 2am, Sweetie."

Aanika's entire face flushed the deepest shade of red that he'd ever seen and couldn't help but giggle at her expense. Under the beanie, Aanika's ears twitched at the sound of him calling her "Sweetie." He had always said it to her online but hearing him actually say it made it real. Bracing the concrete wall and dangling her legs around, Aanika chewed her lip bashfully and tried to stop her stupid, girly giggle. With no luck.

"Jeremy, can I see you again?"

"Why, you leaving?" He actually looked disappointed. Aanika's heart skipped a beat.

"I really should. My uncles have probably noticed I'm gone and are more than likely out looking for me…So can I?" Jeremy's dreamy eyes rolled in his skull.

"Aanika! You snuck out again? You're nuts, girl…"

"I know, but they're just as bad as Daddy. They are his brothers after all. Stop avoiding the question, Goofball," The teen fox unintentionally fluttered her long lashes as she waited for a response. The breath caught in his throat at the sight of those captivating eyes, so bright and blue.

"Yeah. At nights though, I work during the day."

Aanika blinked.

"Work? Where do you work? I didn't know you had a job."

"It's a summer job. I work over at Ray's Pizza, the _real_ one," Jeremy emphasized the word "real" knowing there were dozens of pizzarias all over New York City. Aanika slapped a hand to her forehead and laughed at the irony. "What's so funny?!"

"Nothing! Hahaha, my uncles and Daddy have this unhealthy obsession with pizza is all. I'm going to have to keep this a secret," Aanika finished with a giggled. Jeremy smiled and reached out to graze his thumb against her cheek. Blue eyes widened when he made contact and her heart seemed to beat out of control. Under his hand, Jeremy could feel her smooth cheek instantly heat up in response to his touch, it oddly made him feel a little proud.

"Alright, a secret it is then. Hey…Can I tell you something?" He muttered, grazing her cheek back and forth with his thumb. Aanika couldn't speak and was only able to nod her head. "Cute. Well, a couple months ago I noticed I kinda sorta started to like you…U-uhm…and now that you're like right here, I really kinda like you…"

"R-really? Why?"

"Because you were my friend when no one else wanted to be. S-so…I was kinda wondering if I see you again, can we call it a date?" Inside, Aanika was screaming and doing cart-wheels. Jeremy felt nervous in her silence and swallowed suddenly to soothe his dry throat.

"Y-yeah! I'd love that! I'll let you know when I can see you again. So-" Aanika jerked her head away when she heard the sound of multiple sirens screaming down the street. She knew that Shiho and Leo were somewhere in the city and they always responded to the sound of sirens. "I gotta go! I'll message you!"

"Aanika wait!" The fox was already sprinting away and making her way to the other rooftop, stilling when she heard him calling for her.

"What?!" She yelled back.

"Do you like me too?!" Even from far away, Jeremy could see her grinning.

"Sure, I like you too, Mr. Bonetta! See you!" With a leap into the shadows, Aanika was gone and Jeremy was sitting on the roof by himself. He was warm inside at out in response to her answer. But damn, he was working up the courage to try and at least kiss her cheek and she just bolted.

The two teens were left with the greatest feeling, they felt on top of the world after the evening they'd had. But Aanika's good feeling came an end a lot faster than Jeremy's when she came home, luckily before her parents, to find all of her sisters and uncles waiting for her with unpleasant frowns. She got possibly the biggest scolding she'd ever received from all six of them than she had from Leo and Shiho. Even though her menagerie with Jeremy had come to an end, Raphael's kick to her ass couldn't stop the powerful beating of her heart.

No one, not even her parents, could bring her down from Cloud 9 tonight.

* * *

**A/N: I thought for being so naughty in updating I'd try to make this chapter a little longer than the last one. I've been naughty, I need Leo to spank me!...Moving on. Eheheh...read and review my Duckies, I love em! You guys rock, I love hearing from you. Let me know if you're enjoying this :)**


	7. What's It Like?

**A/N: It's been a rough couple of weeks and I haven't felt up to updating lately and I'm sooo sorry. This next chapter is a little bit more fluid and progressive, I hope. For the sake of my readers I've been trying to update when I can. I love you, Duckies! I hope you enjoy this :)**

**********NOTICE: THIS STORY HAS OC CHARACTERS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT ANY OF THEM LOOK LIKE, PLEASE CHECK THE LINKS ON MY PROFILE FOR YOUR VISUAL AID.**

* * *

"_Sure, I like you too, Mr. Bonetta! See you!" With a leap into the shadows, Aanika was gone and Jeremy was sitting on the roof by himself. He was warm inside at out in response to her answer. But damn, he was working up the courage to try and at least kiss her cheek and she just bolted. _

_The two teens were left with the greatest feeling, they felt on top of the world after the evening they'd had. But Aanika's good feeling came an end a lot faster than Jeremy's when she came home, luckily before her parents, to find all of her sisters and uncles waiting for her with unpleasant frowns. She got possibly the biggest scolding she'd ever received from all six of them than she had from Leo and Shiho. Even though her menagerie with Jeremy had come to an end, Raphael's kick to her ass couldn't stop the powerful beating of her heart. _

_No one, not even her parents, could bring her down from Cloud 9 tonight._

* * *

It was with a consorted amount of extraordinary effort that Aanika was able to sit put and ride out the rest of her restriction and punishment. Her uncles and sisters kept a constant and sharp eye on the teenage fox after making the deal that they wouldn't tell her parents about her sneaking out to see Jeremy if she promised to hold off until her punishment was over. Begrudgingly, she agreed. She only agreed because she didn't want the scorn of her parents anymore than what she had already received. They kept up their communications while they waited it out, Jeremy had a knack for keeping her spirits and morale high when she was more than exhausted from the vigorous hours of schooling, training, and working out that her parents put her through.

Shiho and Leo were none the wiser to her recent prison break, in fact they became more and more like Gomez and Morticia Addams with every day that passed. Constantly amorous and all over each other as romantically as they possibly could. But Shiho had been making a visible effort to give Aanika the attention she needed and had even agreed to let her come out on the patrol tonight, this being her last night of being cooped up in the lair. Aanika was bubbling over the brim with her barely contained excitement, wondering if she'd be able to catch a glance at Jeremy. But she knew better. Even so, Aanika rather liked this change in her parents despite what it took to obtain it.

Lounging on a recliner with her laptop in her lap, the fox was watching her younger siblings and cousins while the adults conditioned in the dojo. The young ones were gathered around the television with an assortment of pizza and popcorn with a movie playing. It was Ginny and Freddrick's turn to pick the movie this afternoon. Naturally, they chose the one movie that none of their cousins were remotely interested in, some astronomical documentary. Aanika paid no attention and kept her eyes trained on the screen as she chatted with Jeremy. Erasmus broke his focus from the boring film and noticed his sister buried into her laptop.

"What are you doing, Annie? Mommy said you're supposed to watch us," He spoke up, leaning on the arm of the chair and snooping into her conversation. With a frustrated growl, she minimized her chat and gave the young turtle a rotten glare.

"None of your business, runt! Leave me alone and watch your stupid movie, I'm busy."

"You know, Uncle Leo says you're not supposed to be mean to us, Annie," Ginny spoke, her head turning from the screen. Aanika's eyes rolled in her skull as she sneered and apologized to Jeremy for her delay and beside her, her cell phone buzzed with a text message. It was Jeremy, a message to just text instead. With a grin, she closed her laptop.

"Fine. You'll all tattle on me like a bunch of rats anyway. We're changing the movie then," All at once, the kids breathed a sigh of relief except for Ginny and Freddrick who genuinely wanted to watch the documentary.

"Stop whining, everyone is bored-"

"Aanika! Come into the dojo!" Leo's voice called from the other room. With a satisfied grin, the oldest fox left the younger kids to sort it out themselves and trounced to her father's call. Inside the dojo waited her uncles and parents. The sisters had been dismissed to get dinner started.

"What is it, Daddy?" She said after bowing in front of Leonardo. Shifting a gaze between his brothers and his mate, Leo clasped his daughter's hands and held them together.

"We want you to start joining us on patrol on a daily basis after tonight. You've been more than obedient with your training and punishment and your mother, uncles, and I think it's time you gained your privileges back. You need to learn the ropes of being a leader, might as well start now."

Suddenly, Aanika broke into a beaming grin and was barely able to contain the excited squeal as she erupted and threw her arms around Leo's neck. He was stunned and nearly fell backward as she wriggled and hugged him tightly, grunting as he regained his footing. The brothers and Shiho chuckled at the spectacle, Leo didn't notice and embraced his child close and planted a kiss to the side of her head. His eyes glanced upwards to capture Shiho's violet gaze, she was communicating that they'd made a step in the right direction. Aanika practically vibrated in her father's grip as he returned her to her feet on the ground.

"Really, Daddy?! I get to go topside?!"

"Yes, yes. But, you're coming up with me tonight. Just you and me, go get your katanas and meet me at the door. I need to talk to you about something," Aanika was too overwhelmed to let that bother her and did as she was told, disappearing back out into the lair where they all heard her giggling and squealing all the way to her room.

"You sure this is a good idea, Leo? I mean…what if she-"

"Don't worry, Raph. I'm not gonna let her out of my sight," He attempted to reassure his brothers but they didn't appear completely convinced. Shiho was the most nervous of all and conveyed her uneasiness by gripping her mate by the arm. "Hey, it'll be okay. I'm taking the easy route tonight and I'll have her back in one piece. You trust me?"

Twisting her lip into a small frown, Shiho gave it a bit of thought before nodding and nuzzling into his muscle. He knew what he was doing and knew just how to approach Aanika about any issue. That wouldn't stop her from worrying about the safety of her child any less despite Leo watching her like a hawk. Leo sensed his mate's radiant apprehension and tilted her gaze upward with a guiding finger beneath her graceful chin. Amber eyes bore into those violet hues until she blushed like a young girl and nibbled her lip shyly. Damn he was handsome, so utterly gorgeous in Shiho's eyes that he turned her insides to jelly. In one motion the vixen was tucked tightly in his masculine arms, enveloped in an embrace that swept her off her feet.

"Leo!" She shrieked, grasping his shoulders.

"Hehe…just wanted a kiss," He muttered quietly against the curve of her glossy lips, making them tremble. Relaxing her grip, the fox slipped her hands up Leo's neck and held his jaw in each of her palms so she could lean in and kiss him hard on the mouth. Both mates shut their eyes to enjoy the moment of tasting and kissing, Leo taking a nip out of her lip in the process. He kissed her long and slow to rid her mind of any doubt, it seemed to be working because she was absolutely squirming in his arms.

"Mmm…you're mine when you get home," She whispered into his mouth, his hot breath fresh on her tongue. That damned smirk came to his face as he set her onto her feet.

"We'll see about that, the pet never tells her Master what to do," Leo flashed her a wink and gave her rear a firm slap before he disappeared out of the dojo to meet with Aanika. Shiho was left flustered and utterly horny. Rat bastard…er…turtle bastard. His bothers were left with her faces in their palms; they'd completely forgotten the audience that seemed to be there. Blushing, Shiho waved innocently and slipped past them to tend to her other children. Raph was the first to burst.

"Jesus! It's like livin' in a softcore porn movie!"

"You wouldn't be saying softcore if you accidentally walked in on them," Donnie shuddered. Both his brother's placed an apologetic hand on his shoulders. Poor Donnie.

* * *

Topside. At last, Aanika was outside and this time she didn't have to escape from under her parents' watchful eyes. Thus far, she'd assisted her father in stopping two robberies and even got to punch her first purse snatcher. Tonight was a good night, but she could sense something on her father's mind that seemed to have him distracted. He'd almost taken a fist to the jaw tonight; it was as though he was somewhere else completely. She imagined that he was going to lecture her some more when he came to the rooftop that he and Shiho favored. Leo corrected her on a few stances and attacks before he finally let her rest and settled his arms on the concrete wall on the roof.

Leo gazed off up the street, watching the traffic as he appeared to struggle to find the words to say to his daughter. Aanika couldn't stand the suspense. Was she in trouble again? She couldn't think of anything that she could have possibly done recently that would make him upset with her. Leo never clammed up around Aanika and she couldn't help but become more and more uncomfortable with every second of silence that passed. Standing beside him, the young fox wrapped her arm around his bicep the way Shiho often did to express unease. Switching his attention to the teen beside him, Leo smiled and ran his hand through her wavy hair.

"Gosh you've really grown up, way faster than I would have liked. You did well, tonight, Annie. I'm real proud of you," He spoke, breaking the tension between the two. Sheepishly, Aanika smiled and hugged his bicep a little tighter.

"Been practicing like crazy. Daddy, did I do something wrong?" Leo released a breath at the sound of her innocence.

"Not really. But, honey, we need to talk about something," Leo muttered as he moved to stand behind Aanika, his arms once again resting on the wall with her tucked against his plastron. They weren't in any danger, but he couldn't stop himself from shielding her. Immediately, her tall ears flattened in fear.

"About what?" Leo sighed.

"Your uncles told me where you went that night that Mom and I went on a patrol run. And, Annie, I'm scared," He admitted, resting his chin on the top of her head. Aanika's blood ran cold and her stomach tied into knots. "Your mom and I know about Jeremy."

Aanika didn't say anything and fought back the hot tears as best she possibly could. Her uncles sold her out and she was caught. But…Leo wasn't scolding her…he wasn't lecturing. Something was out of the ordinary. He said he was…scared?

"Daddy I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do I-"

"Let me talk Annie," She shut her mouth. "Listen. I know how hard it is being different from the rest of the population. I also understand how difficult it can be to live in the family you do without someone else to talk to, someone outside the everyday craziness. We're not mad, we're not upset. But we _are_ worried. Can you understand why?"

Silently, the fox nodded her head and wiped her tear streaked cheek with the back of her hand.

"He's a stranger and we don't know anything about him. You're only 16 and we don't want you to get your hopes up. But, if he's important to you-"

"He is! He is important to me," Aanika hushed once again when she heard an agitated sigh escape her father's throat. "Sorry…"

"Mom and I are willing to give him a chance. But only one chance. How long have you been keeping this from us?" Gently, Leo turned the now trembling teenager around until she faced him. Her eyes were rimmed in thick tears and were looking everywhere else but to him. Wiping her cheeks with his thumb, he pushed back her bangs from her forehead.

"About 7 months…" She quietly muttered.

"Annie…why so long?" The low voice of her father helped ease the terror that was building up inside her and she swallowed thickly so she could speak. Her throat was sore from holding that lump that kept growing.

"I was scared you and Mom would take him away from me. And…he's my friend, Daddy, he likes me he said so! I've been trying so hard not to think about him, but whenever I'm alone I'm talking to him and I can't stop. He makes me feel normal, Daddy…even though…" The words that had come stumbling out of her mouth suddenly stopped as her ears dropped to the sides of her head in what looked to be defeat.

"He doesn't know about you. Annie, look at me," Leo softly ordered. She did as she was told and gazed upwards with glassy blue eyes. Leo hated that look on any of his kids. "Do you love this boy?"

Aanika gasped and her ears suddenly popped open.

"I…I don't know. I haven't known him for very long and I've only seen him twice…but I know I like him, Daddy…I like him a lot…and I don't know what to do. What if he thinks I'm a freak?" Now, she started to cry. His daughter's tears and cries were agonizing to see and hear, so he gathered her in his arms and she wept against his plastron. Leo knew this conversation was coming someday, he just never imagined it would be when she was 16. He was 24 when he fell in love; he didn't know this suffering until much later in his life.

"Shh…" Leo cooed, pressing many kisses to her head as he smoothed through the locks with his fingers. Annie calmed her cries after another few minutes, the fear beginning to wither away. "Annie, it's scary. I'm not going to lie and say that it isn't. But, you have to accept that if he doesn't understand…if he shuns you then he was never right for you."

That realization brought about another wave of tears, shaking her entire body. Leo had thought in the beginning that she was overreacting. But then remembered that he'd possessed the same fear when he realized he was in love and again when Shiho said goodbye to Micah. That constant, cold, tormenting fear of not being good enough. Just thinking about that dark time in his mind made him feel like he was suffocating.

"But I want him to be right, Daddy. I want it so much."

Leo knelt down after pulling her off his plastron to look her in the eyes again, now red from tears. His hands rested firmly on her shoulders as he smiled to calm her once again. After a few hiccups and sniffles, Aanika dried her eyes and took a deep breath so she could listen. Once he knew that he had her attention, he began to speak.

"I know you do, Baby. And I want you to have everything in the world that makes you happy, your mom and I both want it for you. I just want you to understand what you might be facing, because if he hurts you I don't know what I'll do. Annie," Her gaze had shifted and he brought her back to his firm amber stare. "You'll always be my baby girl, and no matter what happens or how mad we get at each other I'm going to love you. I just want you to be careful. Okay? Annie, relax, I'm not angry and you're not in trouble."

"I know –hic- I know…" She was still between hiccups as a result of her crying. "I'm just s-scared. You weren't supposed to know yet and…and then he might not like me once he finds out and…"

"Ah don't start crying again. I can't handle that, Honey. Come here," Leo opened his arms once again. The teen rushed into his embrace and pressed a kiss into his cheek while his arms came round and he lifted her up and against him. Her arms held him tightly around the shoulders and neck as her barriers of defiance and fear crumbled into dust until all that was left was the strength to take the next step.

"I love you, Daddy," She said with a sniffle. Leo sighed contently and smiled, closing his eyes as he nuzzled into her hair.

"I love you too, Annie. Come on, we aren't done yet, we still have a perimeter to run before we get home."

* * *

Shiho paced that lair while she cradled her youngest, Artemis, on her hip. A youngling with an upset stomach meant little sleep for the mother. She soothed and sang her lullaby before coming to rest on the couch, lying down with her son on her chest. He wasn't going to sleep any time soon. Donnie was going through the fridge to find anything for his nephew to ease his painful stomach ache. Shiho was filled to the brim with worry; first she discovers her daughter has a secret relationship with a human, then Leo takes her topside, and then her son develops the worst case of stomach flu that he's ever had. The tears in his eyes and his small fists clenched into her robe were the signs of just how uncomfortable he really was.

"I found some ginger ale, sis. That should help with his belly pain," Donnie whispered. Sitting on the arm of the couch, he handed his leader the child's cup. Artemis groaned pitifully and clung to his mother as she sat up and held the cup for him to drink from.

"Thanks, Donnie. He must have picked it up from Casey two days ago when he stopped by. Poor baby…" Shiho soothed, stroking her son's head as he rested it against her breast. Donnie looked on, feeling guilty that he couldn't do more.

"If I had some magic medicine, I'd give it to ya, Arty. I'm going to bed, so you get to feeling better, 'kay?" Donnie said with a smile, his nephew smiling weakly. Even the emerald green of his skin looked pale.

"'Kay Uncle Donnie."

"What do we say?" Shiho reminded, looking down to her son knowingly.

"Oh, thank you Uncle Donnie."

"Heheh, you're welcome, kid. Leo called, he'll be home any time now. G'night, sis," Donnie kissed Shiho's cheek and began to make his way for bed.

"Night, Donnie. You hear that, Baby? Daddy will be home soon," Shiho mused, trying to cheer her youngest up. His little smile made its appearance and his strangely violet eyes regained a little bit of their glisten.

As if on cue, Shiho's ears turned backwards at the sound of Leo and Aanika coming into the lair. The reaction was instant and her son had a beaming smile on his face. Leo noticed his mate on the couch and told Aanika to wait.

"Hey Babe. Artemis?" He looked surprised to see his son awake and out of bed at well past 1am. "What are you doing up, son?"

"Oh, your wonderful pal, Casey, gave your son his stomach bug. He started getting sick about two hours ago. Annie? Are you alright?" Shiho noticed her daughter standing just a few feet away, ducking away in the dark. Her cheeks look tear stained.

"Oh my poor boy. C'mere," Leo stretched out his arms and lifted his son out of Shiho's embrace. "Come on, let's go see if JiiJii can help you feel better, Mommy and Annie need a minute," His voice retreated deep into the lair until he was out of sight, Shiho watching the entire time in case he decided to vomit again. With no such episode, her attention redirected itself to Aanika.

There was a look about her that Shiho sensed was new, she looked relieved but with a shade of new fear that she'd never seen in her daughter before. Rising from the sofa, Shiho approached and sat with Annie on the stairs, clutching her hand and lacing their fingers. Aanika gulped and waited for her mother to start the conversation, she had no idea where to begin. Shiho picked up on this apprehension in no time and let go of Aanika's hand to wrap her arm around her narrow shoulders.

"How was the run? Did you learn anything?" Shiho started, quietly.

"Mhmm. Learned a lot tonight. I'm sorry Arty is so sick, had I known I would have picked something up from April's place," Her mother smiled and shook her head.

"He'll be alright, no need to wake them up. Anything else happen?" Aanika became quiet for a few moments and Shiho just waited.

"I talked with Daddy…"

"Mhmm, I know. I asked him to talk with you tonight. Even agreed to let you go topside," Aanika found this oddly surprising and glanced at her mother her only raised her eyebrows with a smile. "And what did he talk with you about?"

Aanika nervously fidgeted and played with her fingers.

"About Jeremy…" A heavy sigh rolled Shiho's shoulders and she ran her fingers of her free hand through that dark hair. Aanika found herself leaning into her mother's touch of comfort. And so it begins, the parental dilemma of dealing with a teenaged girl who found her first, and possibly her only, love interest. "I'm sorry I disobeyed you, Mom…it was stupid."

"Yeah, but I think I understand why you kept it a secret. So?" Shiho decided she was going to let Aanika come out of this on her own; there was only so much a mother could do when it came to issues of this matter.

"Daddy asked if I loved Jeremy, but I don't know if I do yet," A hum vibrated in her mother's throat, a hum of understanding as she nodded her head. This helped ease the tension in her tight shoulders as she started to relax against her mother's side. "I know that I really like him. But…Mom what if he's the _only _one?"

Shiho twisted her lips thoughtfully, trying to think of the right thing to say. Truth be told, there was really no right or wrong answer when it came to their kind and finding love.

"Annie, we're different and it's just something we have to accept. If Jeremy really is the only one in the entire world who will love you like your dad loves me, then hold onto him. But, if he doesn't understand, you know what you'll have to do."

"I was afraid you would say that…Mom, how did you know when you loved Daddy? How did it feel?"

Shiho took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she thought that question over. The start between her and Leo had been rocky at best.

"Well, the first night that we met, I sort of knew. I'd never felt so safe in my life than when I fell asleep in his arms, after I had my moment of freaking out because I'd never seen any other mutants in my life other than our sisters and Micah. But I was so scared, terrified actually."

"Why? I mean, it's Daddy."

Shiho chuckled.

"Take a look at the difference between him and I. The obvious issue was we were both mutants but I'm more human than he is, and I was afraid of falling in love with a mutant. Even though he saved my life. But I think as he became my friend, every day seemed easier to deal with and I finally admitted it to myself. I loved him."

Aanika noticed a deep shade of crimson blushing across her mother's cheeks as she smiled like she was hiding a secret. She looked radiant in her state of remembering.

"How did you know, though?" Aanika studied Shiho's face, watching as her eyes glittered with each memory that came to mind.

"When the idea of not being with him hurt so much I couldn't breathe. He could just look at me and I'd never felt more wanted. When I realized that I couldn't live without him was when I knew. Granted, I ran away at first. That's another story for another time, though," Shiho mused, wiggling her nose. She didn't feel like coming clean about her few weeks as an erotic dancer using her mutations as an identity on stage.

"Who said it first?" Aanika pressed on. She'd never been so interested in anything in her life.

"I did. Your dad came to get me after I'd run off and forced it out of me. I put him through hell and he still loved me. Hm…" Shiho wrapped her arms around herself and smiled, a smile that she'd never seen before.

"That's my smile."

Both foxes jumped at the sudden intrusion of Leo's voice on their conversation. He had no Artemis and left Shiho to conclude that he'd fallen asleep in Splinter's bed. Aanika scooted closer to Shiho as Leo sat down and sandwiched her between them, parents on either side of her.

"Your smile?" Aanika questioned, perplexed.

"She only smiles like that for me. Or when she's thinking of me and doesn't know that I notice," He teased. Shiho winked and nodded a few times before gazing at her mate, that smile not leaving her face. "See?"

"Hehe…yeah. So…what now?"

"Talk to Jeremy, and let him know that you can see him a few more times before we want to meet him. But, don't make your father sound too nice. We want a little fear in the kid," Said Shiho with a chuckle. Amber eyes rolled about in Leo's skull. Aanika couldn't help but giggle and wiggled her tail when both of her parents leaned in and each wrapped an arm around her and gave her a squeeze. Maybe there was more to this talking thing that she had initially given it credit for. No one was yelling, Aanika wasn't in trouble, and Shiho wasn't beating the sand out of a practice dummy.

"Thanks…Mom, Daddy?" Both mates looked up to their teen with expectant expressions. "I'm sorry about all the hell I've put you guys through. Real sorry…I know I was a pain in the neck, and that you do so much for me. I love you.

Leo and Shiho looked over Aanika's head and exchanged surprised glances, they hadn't expected her to say that. But they accepted the humble apology, Leo most notably so by kissing her temple. Letting down her walls seemed to be helping with her chances of ever seeing Jeremy again and she'd have to remember it.

"We love you too, Annie. Now, go to bed or whatever, Mom and I need to have a talk of our own."

Quickly, Aanika darted backwards up the steps and away from her parents who were obviously about to go at it again. She honestly didn't understand what it was about having sex with each other that was so addicting, but then again, being a virgin didn't give her much of a margin for an opinion. That was a discussion for a completely different occasion, which she wasn't close to ready for. Though, she imagined if Leo ever found out that Jeremy put his hands on her he'd kill the kid or come close to trying. Aanika hugged herself and blushed at the mere thought of even kissing Jeremy and disappeared into her room.

"So, what do you think?" Shiho breathed, her attention breaking once she heard Aanika's door close. Leo brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers tenderly before shrugging his shoulders with a handsome grin.

"Dunno. Guess with something like this we just have to wing it. Hey, it'll be alright," Leo consoled once he noticed Shiho's gaze darken and shift away to the ground. He held her hands and kissed her knuckles to reassure his fretting mate. "We can't protect her from everything, no matter how much we want to."

"Leo, he's going to notice that she isn't human. I'm so afraid-"

"I know. Shh, Baby, I know. We talked about that. We'll do what we can but things like that, those are things that only she can deal with on her own. Shiho, mm, Shiho look at me. Jeez now I know where she gets this from," Leo sighed and gave a small shake of his head. Shiho tried not to think about Aanika having her heart broken, the idea alone was menacing.

"I can't handle the tears in her eyes if he rejects her, Leo. I just can't."

"Come on, you gave birth three times without any drugs. You can handle your teenager having her heart broken," Leo mused. Shiho huffed and shook her head incredulously before standing.

"Leo, you know that isn't what I mean. Do you know what he could do to her? She's so close to being human but just misses the mark. You couldn't begin to understand what that feels like. Being just within arms' reach of having something normal but your differences pull you back."

Leonardo didn't like where this conversation was going and hushed his mate by embracing her from behind. Shiho had started her nervous pacing, a sign that she was close to another breakdown. His beak lowered and he began to kiss up the length of her neck and giving way to delicate, soft moans. Leo's ability to blur her mind was uncanny and bizarre but Shiho didn't seem to mind. His hands roamed her body, gripping and massaging as they went along.

"Stop it, she'll be alright. If she falls, we'll be there to catch her…" Leo began to groan when his mate reached up and behind to slither the fingers of her left hand to the back of his neck and the fur of her tail came between his legs. The motion caused him to bite down into her shoulder.

"Nngh…Leo, I'm sorry, Darling…" She hissed when he withdrew his teeth from the fresh new bite, soothing the wound over with his tongue before traveling up her neck to nip at her jaw.

"Come on, let's go to bed. I count that as a fight…" He muttered teasingly into her ear. Shiho giggled as she turned around and jumped up in his arms, her legs coming around his shell with his hands holding her rear for support. They barely made it up the stairs and down the long walk to their room without toppling over and making love on the floor.

In her own room, and on her laptop, Aanika shuddered when she heard her parents pass by her closed door. Shiho's laughing gave away what they had planned for each other once their door was closed. With that in mind, she decided to call Jeremy. Sticking the small earpiece into her ear and dialing Jeremy's number, she waited only two rings before he picked up.

"_Hey, Annie! How are you? I was just wondering when you were gonna call."_

God it was so good to hear his voice. They'd spoken just that afternoon, but he had to leave for work. She promised she'd call him once she knew he was home, and after tonight's conversation with Leo, she just needed to hear him talk.

"Hi, Jeremy! I'm great actually. I was wondering when you were free again?"

On the other line, Jeremy paused in taking off his shoes and stared at his phone in disbelief. He could have sworn she was still in trouble with her parents and locked up tighter than an Alcatraz prisoner.

"_Uhm, well I'm off tomorrow night and the night after. You wanna hang out? I mean, can you hang out?"_

Hearing that girl laugh was music to Jeremy's ears. That was a good sign.

"Yes, I'd love to. Had a talk with my dad and he said it's okay for me to see you. But he and Mom want to meet you eventually, he said. But we can hang out first."

Jeremy gulped and undid the buttons of his work shirt, suddenly he began heating up and he didn't know why. After closing himself in his room, he flopped down onto his bed and continued his conversation.

"_Great. I get to meet your dad. So, we can have some pizza on the rooftop if you like? You said that the next time I get to see you it's a date, remember?"_

The blush deepened and Aanika squeezed her eyes shut, incapable of stopping the painful smile that burned her cheeks. No words could possibly describe just how utterly happy she was on the inside. If her entire family wasn't asleep and Artemis wasn't sick, she'd scream to emphasize what she was feeling.

"I remember. I'll bring a blanket to sit on. What time?"

"_How does 10 sound? Think your dad will be okay with that?"_

Aanika sat in thought for a moment. She couldn't just get up and ask Leo if it was alright, she'd walk in on something that she'd never be able to unsee. That was an unpleasant experience she'd rather pass on and decided that Leo would just have to deal with it.

"Yeah, that should be okay. I'd ask but, eheh, I don't want to go blind."

"_Blind?"_

"My parents had to be rabbits in their previous lives. Either that or they just reeeeally love each other."

"_Oh jeez…that's embarrassing. You know, I've missed you, Annie." _

Jeremy instantly regretted letting that confession slip, he had no idea why he'd even said it but couldn't stop it from coming out. It was true, however, he couldn't get the girl out of his mind. Those eyes of hers haunted his dreams when he tried his hardest to have one night of sleep without thinking of her. He had no way of knowing what those words were doing to her on the inside.

"I miss you too, Jeremy. Very much. But, hey, I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"_Yeah…I wish I could see you now, though. But I don't wanna get you in trouble…Hey Annie?"_

"Yeah?"

"_Next time, don't take off without a goodnight kiss, okay?" _

Damn! Aanika's chest tightened painfully and her throat became dry, her eyes wide with shock. He wanted to kiss her? He wanted to kiss…_her? _Aanika couldn't wrap her mind around anyone wanting anything to do with her let alone share something as intimate as a kiss. Bashfully. Aanika closed her eyes with a soft smile.

"Okay. I'm gonna go to bed now, so…goodnight, Jeremy."

"_Yeah me too, I'm worn out from work. I'll be thinking of you, sweet dreams, Annie."_

And before she could respond, he hung up. Aanika stared at her phone for a few seconds before her shaking hand reached up to removed her earpiece. Her heart pounded painfully under breastbone and her face felt hot as she collapsed against her pillows, hugging her stuffed rabbit tightly. She began to wonder if this really was love that she was feeling for Jeremy, she'd never felt so vulnerable in her entire life. How she wished her mother wasn't busy so she could describe this unusual but wonderful feeling, or just to anyone at all. The smile that she swore was going to bruise her cheeks just wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Aanika just didn't feel the strength to fight this beautiful feeling, this wild fluttering of her heart. She only imagined it would amplify tomorrow…but what was she going to wear?

* * *

**A/N: That wasn't too horrible, I don't think... ;-;. Leave me reviews please! I need them to know that you enjoy what you're reading!**


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